While new Covid-19 clusters have been springing up like mushrooms, health authorities are working against time to convince people to register for the vaccine, aiming to build herd immunity. So far, more than 7.5 million people aged 60 and above and those with seven types of underlying health conditions are in a queue to receive 16 million doses of the AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines as part of the national vaccination scheme, which is slated to begin in June.
However, due to the slow vaccine rollout and inadequate communication, the populace is now getting concerned about vaccine efficacy and side effects like blood clots. Therefore, outbound travel companies are starting to provide exclusive inoculation tour packages as an alternative for the rich.
Hoping to have more options and expedite the vaccination process, the United States seems to be the most popular destination for Thai travellers with states like New York and California allowing residents and tourists to get vaccinated. The Maldives is also planning to offer visitors vaccinations on arrival to invigorate the tourism industry.
However, Thailand's Foreign Ministry recently warned those buying a vaccine tour that they might be denied entry by US immigration after many states have taken steps to bar vaccine tourism, leaving travellers to decide if it's worth the risk.
Patcharaporn Boonyos, a medical scientist in virology with the Thailand-Japan Research Collaboration Center on Emerging and Re-emerging Infections, a collaboration between Osaka University and the Ministry of Public Health in Thailand, indicated that flying to America is another option for those holding multiple entry visas and those who can stay at least one month there in case they want the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna shots.
"The United States is using more effective vaccines than the ones in our country but it's hard for travellers to apply for a US visa right now due to border closure. But if they have enough time to stay long enough to get two doses of a vaccine, the US is very easy. You just sign up for a scheme to get a QR code and choose a drug store, clinic or hospital on the list. It's very convenient, especially for those having a house or relatives living in the US," Patcharaporn said.
"Those wanting to buy a vaccination tour package should look into the travel agency's profile and conditions to ensure you are given a real vaccine. They should be concerned about who will take responsibility in case they're allergic or suffer chronic conditions."
The best vaccines should prevent both disease and infection while medical conditions, age, allergens and side effects are major factors in receiving the vaccination. Based on research, diabetes and heart disease seem to be an obstacle, resulting in efficacy rates of all Covid-19 vaccines to drop.
"Those who have medical conditions should learn more about the vaccine they are planning to get. Each brand has different adverse effects and effectiveness. For instance, the Pfizer vaccine's efficacy rate drops from around 90% to 80% in people with diabetes, while some people experience allergic reactions and tachycardia [rapid heart rhythms] from the Moderna vaccine," Patcharaporn said.
"In Thailand, authorities recently announced that the Sinovac vaccine is safe and effective in people aged 60 and above despite the World Health Organization reporting that an assessment came with a low level of confidence in the quality and the risk of adverse effects. It's 51% effective in the elderly, over 40% in people with diabetes and 30% in those having heart disease. The vaccine can raise blood pressure and also lead to brain bleeding and laryngitis.
"The vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson has a potential link to blood clots, resulting in many countries excluding them from the scheme. Therefore, we should opt for a vaccine with the highest efficacy rate and low risk of side effects, based on our health conditions. You need to be careful if you have a history of food or drug allergies."
Patcharaporn said the Sputnik Light vaccine from Russia is a new interesting formula based on the human adenoviral vector platform. The manufacturer Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology said that the vaccine is more than 90% effective and can protect against Covid-19 mutations in a single dose. It has no adverse effects and can also stimulate both antigen-specific IgG antibodies and neutralising antibodies.
"To save our lives in this situation, I think getting vaccinated is better because everyone is at the risk of infections. However, we need to wear a mask, wash our hands and maintain social distance as usual. It takes a long time to build herd immunity," Patcharaporn said.
A travel tour company, Udachi, recently resumed its operations and is drawing attention from executives and affluent with luxury vaccination tour packages to Moscow, which are fully booked until June. Starting from 110,000 to 220,000 baht, the 23-day journey is designed to be a shortcut to get the Sputnik V vaccine and satisfy high-end tourists' wanderlust.
"Our company is famous for luxury tour packages to the Commonwealth or independent states such as Russia and Azerbaijan. With the slow vaccine rollout in Thailand, we have recognised the potential for vaccination travel tours to Russia, aiming to offer a new option for the health-conscious elite. In Russia, hospitals and healthcare centres are allowing customers with an invitation letter get vaccinated and travel tour companies can take advantage of this policy," said Sirinpa Wongsaroj, travel manager of Udachi.
"Our staff graduated from Russia in different fields, so we trust in advanced Russian technology. We already got vaccinated and have provided medical reports and information about the Sputnik V vaccine to educate customers. The study found that the vaccine has a low rate of side effects."
The packages include air tickets, four-star accommodations, health checkup, two Sputnik V vaccine shots, Covid-19 antigen express-test, Covid-19 antigen IgG express-test and Covid-19 vaccine insurance. Following travel restrictions, travellers are required to submit proof of a negative test result, a fit-to-fly health certificate and a vaccination invitation letter for a visa application.
"Seven-day living expenses in America are higher than in Russia and the Russian visa application process is easier if you have a vaccination invitation letter issued by the hospital. Our capacity is around 70 people a month. Now, our focus is on health rather than how much money they have to pay," Sirinpa said.
Upon arrival, customers will check-in at the medical centre in Moscow for a health checkup and Covid-19 antigen express-test before getting the first shot. It takes one day to observe for allergic reactions while customers can arrange their own sightseeing tour. Then, customers will move to a luxury wellness resort in the suburban area and spend 16 days enjoying leisure activities there. Customers will get the second vaccine dose one day before flying back to Bangkok.
"This is a new business opportunity. We want the government to support Thai outbound travel companies since this is another way to bring income back to the country. We're willing to work with authorities to provide people with an option and ensure safety standards," Sirinpa said.
"We're planning to offer a seven-day Sputnik Light vaccination tour package starting at 55,000 baht. It can help save both money and time. Initially, we planned to draw high-end groups from Laos and Myanmar but they already got inoculated. For the past year, our income from outbound tours has dropped to 70% and we hope the situation will get back to normal at the end of the year."
