FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

Only 8.8 per cent of 33,000-plus Sinovac jab recipients report mild side-effects

Only 8.8 per cent of 33,000-plus Sinovac jab recipients report mild side-effects

From February 28 to March 9, 33,621 people nationwide have been inoculated against Covid-19 and 2,984 have reported mild side-effects, the Public Health Ministry said on Thursday.

So far, people have only been administered the Sinovac vaccine from China, with AstraZeneca jabs planned to kick off on Friday.

Dr Chawetsan Namwat, acting director of the emergency disease and health hazards control division under the ministry’s Department of Disease Control, said the most common side-effects to the vaccine are swelling at the injection site, dizziness, low fever, body ache, etc, which can be relieved easily.

So far, 2,984 people have reported reactions or 8.8 per cent of all inoculated, which is very small compared to studies that say one in three people react adversely to the vaccine.

“Even after both doses of the vaccine have been administered, the World Health Organisation reiterates that people still need to wear a mask, wash their hands and maintain social distancing. This is because it takes time for the immune system to fully recover. The vaccine only prevents death and serious illness. It will take a long time before one that can prevent infection is found. So, we cannot let our guards down even after getting vaccinated,” Dr Chawetsan warned.

Thailand has, so far, received 200,000 doses of CoronaVac from China’s Sinovac Biotech and 117,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was the first person in Thailand to receive the AstraZeneca jab.

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