Re: "Booster shots start 'next month'", (BP, Aug 30).
In countries where every human life is considered to have value, governments, even those which are otherwise inept, regard it as their responsibility to keep their populations alive. In the context of Covid-19 this has meant doing everything possible to vaccinate their whole population.
Because even the first shot of a vaccine can offer substantial protection, the length of time between the two prescribed shots was lengthened from three weeks to up to 12 weeks in some cases. This was in order to ensure some protection for the greatest number of people.
Compare the situation in an imaginary plutocracy. There, the plutocrats' first duty is to take care of themselves. They will handle the contracts for purchasing vaccines and, in the process, increase their own wealth. More importantly, they will ensure that they, their families and friends are at the front of the queue for vaccinations. They will get their second shots after three weeks because only their lives are important, never mind the fact that the vast majority of the population cannot get even their first jab.
Once they learn though that a third, booster, vaccination can give them still better protection, they will grab those too. In other words, to hell with the general populace.
So long as the betters, the important people, the elite, hi-sos or whatever are taken care of, everything is hunky-dory.
KEITH BARLOW
Third-shot madness
Re: "Booster shots start 'next month'", (BP, Aug 30).
Starting in September through October third shots will be given to the 3 million Thais who already received two doses of Sinovac at least three months ago.
What about the 7 million Thais who thus far have only received one dose and are being told they cannot get their second shot until October and November?
My wife, who owns a restaurant in Bangkok, has her second shot of AstraZeneca scheduled for late November, as do her entire staff, and cannot open her place of business which has been closed for now going on the eighth of nine months in 2021 because this government has not provided the ability for her and her staff to be vaccinated as they need to do to open.
And yet here they are giving third shots to all these others.
And what about the 40 million Thais who have not received their first shot, let alone their second or now third?
The plan to use the precious Pfizer vaccine as a third shot booster vaccines for anyone other than frontline workers (medical doctors, nurses and hospital staff) is just another move by this obtuse government out to please their hi-so ultra-wealthy VIP friends, themselves and their oligarchy cohorts.
Making regulations that they themselves, this government, make impossible for the average Thai business owner of eateries, restaurants and pubs to meet, and then using the needed vaccines that will allow them to meet these requirements as third shot boosters instead of making sure all have at least one vaccine and getting those who do not have, their second vaccine must be the priority of this government now.
Stop playing a life and death game with the people of Thailand in order to please yourselves and your VIP friends and take care of the Thais and foreign residents.
For once, do what is right for the people
MITCHELL
The three curses
There are three big problems facing Thailand, it's future and also its recovery.
These are Covid, corruption and complacency.
SJL
