As Thailand struggles with its worst COVID-19 outbreak yet, researchers in the country have developed a machine to draw out vaccine doses more efficiently and optimize lower-than-expected supplies.
Using a robotic arm, the “AutoVacc” system can draw 12 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in four minutes from a vial, said researchers at Chulalongkorn University, who made the machine that has been used at the university’s vaccination center since Monday.
That is up 20 percent from the standard 10 doses drawn manually, they said.
Photo: Reuters
The machine currently only works on AstraZeneca multi-dose vials, and labels show each vial can provide 10 to 11 doses.
“The machine guarantees with accuracy that we can gain an extra 20 percent from each vaccine vial — from 10 to 12 doses,” said Juthamas Ratanavaraporn, the lead researcher of the team at the university’s Biomedical Engineering Research Center.
“The extra 20 percent that we get means that if we have AstraZeneca for 1 million people, this machine can increase the number of doses to 1.2 million people,” Juthamas said.
While some health workers using low dead space syringes that aim to reduce wastage can draw up to 12 doses per vial, it requires staff and a high level of skill, she said.
“This could drain a lot of the health workers’ energy. They would have to do this every day for many months,” Juthamas said.
Thailand had kept the virus largely under control for much of the COVID-19 pandemic, but more virulent strains such as the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 have sent cases and deaths soaring since April, ramping up pressure on authorities to increase the pace of vaccinations.
So far, about 9 percent of Thailand’s population of more than 66 million have been fully vaccinated, with the rollout hindered by lower-than-anticipated vaccine supplies.
The research team say they should be able to produce 20 more AutoVacc units within three or four months, but that government funds and support would be needed to expand across the country.
The prototype machine costs 2.5 million baht (US$76,433), including other materials such as syringes, Juthamas said, adding that while they are open to export opportunities, that is an issue for later.
They also plan to make similar machines to use with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, she added.
Juthamas said the machine is aimed at removing burdens on health workers.
“When the health workers are too tired, there are also chances of human error, so we should let the machines work on this,” she said.
SEEKING CHANGE: A hospital worker said she did not vote in previous elections, but ‘now I can see that maybe my vote can change the system and the country’ Voting closed yesterday across the Solomon Islands in the south Pacific nation’s first general election since the government switched diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing and struck a secret security pact that has raised fears of the Chinese navy gaining a foothold in the region. The Solomon Islands’ closer relationship with China and a troubled domestic economy weighed on voters’ minds as they cast their ballots. As many as 420,000 registered voters had their say across 50 national seats. For the first time, the national vote also coincided with elections for eight of the 10 local governments. Esther Maeluma cast her vote in the
Nearly half of China’s major cities are suffering “moderate to severe” levels of subsidence, putting millions of people at risk of flooding, especially as sea levels rise, according to a study of nationwide satellite data released yesterday. The authors of the paper, published by the journal Science, found that 45 percent of China’s urban land was sinking faster than 3mm per year, with 16 percent at more than 10mm per year, driven not only by declining water tables, but also the sheer weight of the built environment. With China’s urban population already in excess of 900 million people, “even a small portion
UNSETTLING IMAGES: The scene took place in front of TV crews covering the Trump trial, with a CNN anchor calling it an ‘emotional and unbelievably disturbing moment’ A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former US president Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said yesterday. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) said the man was declared dead by staff at an area hospital. The man was in Collect Pond Park at about 1:30pm on Friday when he took out pamphlets espousing conspiracy theories, tossed them around, then doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire, officials and witnesses said. A large number of police officers were nearby when it happened. Some officers and bystanders rushed
HYPOCRISY? The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday asked whether Biden was talking about China or the US when he used the word ‘xenophobic’ US President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for a hike in steel tariffs on China, accusing Beijing of cheating as he spoke at a campaign event in Pennsylvania. Biden accused China of xenophobia, too, in a speech to union members in Pittsburgh. “They’re not competing, they’re cheating. They’re cheating and we’ve seen the damage here in America,” Biden said. Chinese steel companies “don’t need to worry about making a profit because the Chinese government is subsidizing them so heavily,” he said. Biden said he had called for the US Trade Representative to triple the tariff rates for Chinese steel and aluminum if Beijing was