BANGKOK: Dr Yong Poovorawan, head of the Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, has issued a public statement warning that Covid-19 is currently spreading significantly in Thailand, with more than 5,000 people hospitalised each week.
On Saturday, Yong posted an update addressing public concern about whether vaccination is still necessary. He explained that any disease that can be prevented should be, and while vaccination is one way, other methods like hand washing, mask-wearing, and avoiding crowded places remain important for reducing transmission.
He compared the current situation to the early years of the pandemic when Covid-19 had a high fatality rate (about 1%) and a high rate of severe pneumonia requiring hospitalisation. Now, however, most people have developed immunity either through past infection or vaccination, and the virus itself has become less severe.
As a result, the majority of cases today are asymptomatic or mild—similar to seasonal influenza—except in vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly or those with chronic illnesses.
Yong pointed out that although the severity of Covid-19 and influenza is now comparable, influenza vaccines are still recommended, especially for high-risk groups, because they have been widely used for over 50 years, are inexpensive, and have minimal side effects.
By contrast, current Covid-19 vaccines are expensive—nearly 10 times the cost of flu shots—less effective against new variants, and more likely to cause side effects.
Thus, he does not personally recommend widespread Covid-19 vaccination at this stage, particularly considering the reduced severity of the disease and the cost-benefit balance.
“Those in high-risk groups should still receive flu vaccines, which are subsidised by the government,” he said.
“As for Covid-19, early treatment with effective medication is now a more practical approach than relying on vaccination.” - The Nation/ANN
