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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004716

GPO procuring 8.5 million antigen test kits this month

The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) is going ahead with the procurement of 8.5 million sets of antigen test kits (ATKs) to ensure they will be delivered by August-end, while assuring of transparency in the bidding process.

Sirinut Cheewanphisannukul, GPO deputy director, said the purchase was in line with the National Health Security Office (NHSO)’s terms of reference (TOR), stating that ATKs do not have to pass the World Health Organisation’s standards.

She said the GPO, the NHSO and Rajavithi Hospital had improved some details in the TOR to ensure that high-quality ATKs, which are in line with Thai Food and Drug Administration’s standards, will be delivered by August.

She added that the GPO would purchase the ATKs as per the agency’s procurement regulations, as the NHSO and Rajavithi Hospital had not specified any ATK brands, while there were many ATK vendors who had participated in the bidding.

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GPO procuring 8.5 million antigen test kits this month

On August 10, the GPO asked 19 of the 24 ATK vendors to participate in bidding for the contract to purchase 8.5 million sets of ATKs.

Ostland Capital’s “Sars-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kit” has been offered at a price lower than the budget set by the NHSO, saving more than THB400 million. The price of each test kit under the purchase contract is about THB70 [including VAT].

Published : August 16, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004715

Inquiry ordered into rumours of non-target groups getting Pfizer vaccine in Surin

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has asked local health agencies to check if people not in the government’s target group had been inoculated with the Pfizer vaccines distributed in Surin province.

The US government has donated 1.5 million doses of Pfizer vaccine to Thailand, and the vaccine has already been distributed to all areas of the country, for vaccinating people in target groups, such as frontline medics, elders and pregnant women, some foreigners and those needing to leave the country.

An online report had drawn attention to Pfizer jabs being given to people not in the target group.

In response, DDC director-general Dr Opas Kankawinpong on Sunday said that the communicable disease control committee of the province or others would investigate the issue if they are reported.

He also explained that the committee’s findings would be reported to the Ministry of Public Health, which was directly related to the donated vaccine.

Published : August 16, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004700

Isolated heavy rains forecast for the North and South’s west coast

The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Monday that southeasterly winds are blowing across the Gulf of Thailand, the East and the lower Northeast while the southwest monsoon prevails over the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand.

Thundershowers are forecast for all regions with isolated heavy rains in the North and the South’s west coast.

Waves 1-2 metres high and more than two metres high during thundershowers are expected in the Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf of Thailand. All ships should proceed with caution during thundershowers, the department said.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the areas with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 23-24 degrees Celsius, highs of 29-34°C.

Northeast: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 23-24°C, highs of 30-34°C.

Central: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 24-25°C, highs of 32-34°C.

East: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 23-26°C, highs of 29-34°C; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (east coast): Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 23-25°C, highs of 29-32°C; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the areas with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 19-24°C, highs of 29-33°C; waves 1-2 metres high and over two metres during thundershowers.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 25-27°C, highs of 31-34°C.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : August 16, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004693

Medical expert suggests intradermal inoculation to multiply vaccine usage

A medical expert has proposed intradermal inoculation to multiply the use of available vaccine stock in Thailand.

Dr Thirawat Hemajuta, chief of Chulalongkorn University’s Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, made the suggestion on his personal Facebook page.

He said intradermal vaccination will create equality, which means if there are 10 million vaccine doses available, it will instantly become 50 million without any difficulty in injection.

He said a study in the Netherlands had showed that intradermal Moderna vaccination was as effective with one-fifth or one-tenth of the dose used for intramuscular injection.

In Thailand, there is already information about intradermal vaccination and it is done in many institutions.

The research team at the Emerging Infectious Diseases centre is now testing the method. Initial studies have already been done and have shown similar results with much lesser side-effects.

Intradermal injection will radically increase vaccine availability for Thai people within three months based on the number of vaccines currently available, said Dr Thirawat.

Published : August 15, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004692

Majority of people believe mastermind behind Aug 7 protests: Nida Poll

More than half the respondents of a Nida Poll think there was a mastermind behind the protest by the Free Youth group on August 7, while more than 10 per cent were not interested in the event.

The poll by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) was conducted from August 9-11 and surveyed 1,318 people aged 18 years and over, across regions, education levels and occupations. The data was collected via telephone interviews, based on simple random sampling method.

When asked if there was someone behind the Free Youth rally on August 7:

• 51.74 per cent said they believed there was someone behind it;
• 36.04 per cent said they did not believe there was a mastermind;
• 12.22 per cent were indifferent/didn’t answer/don’t care. 

When asked about their opinion on the protest by the Free Youth group on August 7: 

• 26.18 per cent said they strongly agreed as it was a freedom of expression to claim rights and justice in a democratic way. They said the country would be able to move forward with improvement as the government has failed to do so, while some people said they disagreed with the use of violence and the protest should have adhered to the principle of peace;
• 19.19 per cent said they fairly agreed as the protest was a call for the government to realise the people’s problems, but disagreed on the use of violence in the rally;
• 16.77 per cent said they did not quite agree, as it caused violent chaos and there should have been better methods than holding the protest, while some said it could cause Covid-19 clusters;
• 35.43 per cent said they disagreed because it was inappropriate and caused a chaotic situation in the country, while some people said the protest would worsen the virus outbreak situation;
• 2.43 per cent were indifferent/didn’t answer/don’t care.

Published : August 15, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004691

Justice Ministry rushes production of Thai herb in demand to treat Covid

The Justice Ministry on Sunday instructed the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) to repair an amphetamine-making machine to produce Fah Talai Jone (Andrographis paniculata) tablets in a bid to tackle shortage.

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin explained that the ministry had earlier instructed prisons nationwide to grow Fah Talai Jone, a well-known medicinal plant in Thailand, in their area to produce drugs for treating Covid-19 patients.

He expected the Department of Corrections to produce approximately 4 million Fah Talai Jone capsules in August.

“As the current production may not meet the demand in the future, we have instructed the ONCB to repair an amphetamine-making machine that can produce approximately 20,000 tablets per hour as our backup plan,” he said.

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He expected the repair work to be completed on Monday and the Justice Ministry’s pump to be ready on Friday. He added that the ministry would operate the machine using its pump while waiting for a new one.

“We have to be well-prepared for tackling various problems as Fah Talai Jone is accepted by many people as capable of treating Covid-19, while the price of Fah Talai Jone powder may hit THB1,000 per kilogram,” he said.

He added that this move aimed to meet the demand for Fah Talai Jone drugs among inmates and citizens.

The herb has been used traditionally for cold, fever, influenza and bacterial infections. The herb hit the after a study by the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine said that it can help treat Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms and those who are asymptomatic.

Published : August 15, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004689

3 million Covid vaccines from China arrive in Bangkok

Five million doses of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine have been delivered to Thailand so far, while another five million doses will be delivered by August 31, Chulabhorn Royal Academy secretary-general Nithi Mahanonda said in his Facebook post on Sunday.

He said 1,615,315 people had been given their first shot and 609,718 people had got their second shot, bringing the total number of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine doses administered to 2,225,033.

He added that 2,431,443 people were awaiting their Sinopharm jabs, of which 234,334 doses were allocated for corporations, 2,042,820 doses for local administration offices and 154,289 doses for the general public.

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Separately, the Chinese Embassy in a Facebook post said 3 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines — 2 million Sinopharm doses and 1 million Sinovac doses — had arrived in Bangkok on Sunday.

The embassy added that China had already delivered 24.55 million doses of vaccines to Thailand.

“China and Thailand are not anyone else, but relatives,” the embassy said.

Published : August 15, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004688

Long queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut Prakan

Senior citizens queued up from the early hours of the day to receive Pfizer shots at Bang Phli Yai Klang temple in Samut Prakan province.

The temple was opened to administer the Pfizer vaccine for Samut Prakan residents who are over 60 years old, and women more than 12 weeks pregnant.
A total of 2,600 Pfizer shots were to be administered to the target groups on Saturday and Sunday. 

The temple was bustling with activity as many elderly people turned up to receive the jab on the last day.
One of the officers said that a few people had queued up at midnight on Saturday, while the inoculation timings are from 7am to 3pm.

Long queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut PrakanLong queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut PrakanLong queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut PrakanLong queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut PrakanLong queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut PrakanLong queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut Prakan

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Long queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut PrakanLong queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut PrakanLong queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut PrakanLong queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut PrakanLong queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut PrakanLong queue fails to deter elderly seeking Pfizer vaccine in Samut Prakan

Published : August 15, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004687

TDRI urges govt to prioritise procurement of high-quality vaccines

The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) has said the country is far from ready to be reopened in 120 days as previously stated by the prime minister.

In an article titled “Investing in Public Health”, published on Tuesday, the TDRI suggested that the focus should be on restoring public health back to normal as swiftly and effectively as possible, in order to resume normal economic activity.

The article was written by TDRI director Saowaruj Rattanakhamfu.
The article said that the government’s tardy management is damaging citizens’ lives and the economy. The country is losing more than THB1.5 billion every month in the tourism sector alone.

Compared to the UK, Israel and Singapore, which have been reopened due to the easing of the pandemic situation, Thailand is still far from returning to normal.
As only 21.9 per cent of the population had got the first vaccine dose, and as many had received Sinovac which is not considered as having high efficacy, Saowaruj said it would be impossible to reopen the country in October as announced by the government.

The TDRI has made the following suggestions:

1. The government needs to promptly invest in high-quality vaccines, including Favipiravir medication, and transparently inoculate the right target groups.
2. As the vaccine procurement process is slow, the government should predominantly invest in proactive virus testing. More virus testing points should be set up and antigen test kits should be distributed to business establishments, especially to small and medium-sized enterprises and businesses whose staff are not able to work from home.
3. Isolate and treat infected patients as soon as possible, especially homeless people and those who live in crowded communities.
4. Increase compensation for frontline personnel, and provide risk prevention measures for them and their families. Distribution of high-quality vaccine should be the top priority.
5. Increase the number of staff and volunteers to treat patients who practice isolation at home or at community isolation centres.

Regarding the funding required to implement these five suggestions, Saowaruj said the government can allocate some money from the THB500 billion Royal Decree Loan which was recently released, and from the central budget for fiscal year 2021-22.

“By allocating the money from these sources, the government should be able to find approximately THB1.34 billion in order to bring Thailand back to normal,” said Saowaruj.

Published : August 15, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004683

Police issue traffic alert for Bangkok

The Metropolitan Police Bureau and Traffic Police Division have advised motorists in Bangkok to check and avoid using routes where pro-democracy protesters will organise a “car mob” anti-government rally on Sunday from 11am.

According to “1197 Callcentre” Facebook post, the police advised motorists to avoid using the following routes

1. Around Ratchaprasong intersection

2. Democracy Monument – Sai Tai Kao – Rama VII Bridge

3. Si Ayutthaya – Lat Phrao intersection (Ha Yaek Lat Phrao)

4. Phra Samut Chedi – Wongwian Yai

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For more information, please visit “1197 Callcentre” Facebook page or contact 1197 anytime.

Published : August 15, 2021

By : The Nation