A guideline issued for a COVID-19 vaccine side effects fund
 
National Health Security Office (NHSO) issues a guideline for compensating COVID-19 vaccine recipients who experience adverse effects. 
 
A guideline sets criteria and steps for the compensation claims. Only the Thai recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine provided by the government are eligible to submit the claims. They must receive the vaccine from 5 April onward. 
 
They or their families can proceed with the claims at hospitals providing vaccines to them, provincial health offices, or NHSO regional offices. The submission can take place within two years after the adverse effects occur.
 
Each claim submission will be scrutinized by the subcommittee set in each NHSO regional area. The amount of compensation depends on the damages caused by the vaccination side effects and the financial condition of the vaccine recipients. 
 
A maximum of 400,000 baht in compensation will be paid to a recipient or his/her family if he/she is dead or permanently disabled. A recipient who lost an organ will receive a maximum of 240,000 baht. A maximum of 100,000 baht will be paid for any injury or illness sustained. 
 


The payment will proceed within five days after the subcommittee approves the claims. 
Dr Jadej Thammatach-aree, the NHSO’s Secretary-General, said that the NHSO set up a 100-million-baht fund for paying the compensation. 
 
In the mid of May, officers at the NHSO region 1 office in Chiang Mai and region 10 office in Ubon Ratchathani reported receiving 218 and 49 claim submissions, respectively, from health workers.  
 
For region 1, the adverse effects occurred in 0.24% of health workers receiving 91,551 doses of COVID-19 vaccine in total. Only 0.05% of them required hospital admission. 
 
“Half of the health workers experiencing side effects had minor symptoms, such as temporary fever and muscle pain. The most-reported severe symptoms are high fever and muscle cramps,” said Dr Jadej.
 
“It proves that vaccination is safe. However, we still need to provide compensation to those experience adverse effects to bring confidence to the government’s vaccination program, while assuring the health protection of Thais.”
 
The Thai government has provided 1.46 million doses to its people, with no report of deadly side effects. The Chinese-made Sinovac and British-Swedish AstraZeneca are the primary vaccines distributed by the Thai government. 
 
Dr Jadej urges everyone to reach out to health facilities or government officials to request vaccination.
 
“Only successful vaccination will return our normal life,” he said.