Hopes have been raised by the United States pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s announcement this week that its vaccine was 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 among trial volunteers. Much of that are on the improvement in the tourism scale in which more international tourists can be allowed back to Thailand. Pattaya, Phuket, Samui Island are among the numerous destinations that are suffering from a sharp drop of foreign tourists’ number since April this year. The positive results also show signs of improvement in traveling businesses around the world such as airlines, hotels, and package tours.
The Director of the National Vaccine Institute (NVI), Dr. Nakorn Premsri, said that there is hope that the vaccine will soon be available. The same type of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) is being tested and developed by the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University. The results from human trials can be compared. The first phase of human trials will take place in January and February next year, and the second phase will start after six or seven months.
Although Thailand and Pfizer have not worked together recently, the country will ask for production data from the company by the end of this month. The mRNA-based vaccine is safe, and the duration of immunity will determine its effectiveness.
Thailand is planning to administer the vaccine against COVID-19 to 50 percent of the population. The first group is medical personnel who are looking after COVID-19 patients. Morbidity and fatality rates and other factors will be taken into consideration for other groups. The issue is expected to be finalized this year, and it will be proposed to the National Vaccine Committee for consideration. (NNT)
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