Leaked memo about Sinovac vaccine’s efficacy raises concern in Thailand

A leaked well being ministry doc has prompted calls in Thailand for medical employees inoculated in opposition to Covid-19 to be given a booster of an mRNA vaccine, after it included a remark that such a transfer may dent public confidence in Sinovac Biotech’s vaccine.
The inner memo, which included numerous opinions, was reported by native media and shared broadly on social media. It was confirmed by Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul as being genuine.
It included a remark from an unnamed official who beneficial authorities do to not give a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s (PFE.N), (22UAy.DE) vaccine to frontline well being staff, as a result of such a transfer can be “admitting that the Sinovac vaccine is not effective”.
Thailand has administered Sinovac’s inactivated virus vaccine to most well being staff and its real-world examine confirmed two doses had been 95% efficient in decreasing mortality and extreme signs. The examine confirmed it was 71% to 91% efficient in stopping an infection with the Alpha variant.

Sinovac in China didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon the vaccine’s efficacy.
The remark within the leaked doc prompted calls from distinguished Thai well being specialists, together with a high medical council official, to present well being staff a Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot.
The hashtag “Give Pfizer to medical personnel” was trending on Thai Twitter with greater than 624,000 tweets on Monday.
Senior well being official Opas Karnkawinpong informed reporters the doc was not actual, nevertheless, contradicting well being minister Anutin.
Anutin mentioned the touch upon the booster shot was “just an opinion” and there was an knowledgeable panel to set vaccine coverage.
He mentioned two doses of Sinovac’s vaccine had been efficient and “deliver results beyond the standard”.
Thai specialists have urged the federal government to make use of numerous forms of coronavirus vaccine to higher shield the inhabitants.
It is relying primarily on AstraZeneca’s (AZN.L) domestically manufactured viral vector vaccine, whereas authorities say Moderna’s (MRNA.O) mRNA vaccine can even be obtainable.

Thailand has procured 20 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for future supply and can this month obtain 1.5 million doses donated by the United States.
World Health Organization specialists discovered the Sinovac vaccine was efficacious in stopping Covid-19 in adults below 60, however some high quality knowledge on the danger of significant antagonistic results was missing.