Travelling? Is it possible to get a private COVID-19 vaccine purchased abroad?

For travelers who are itching to get back on the road, the news regarding vaccination could not come fast enough. Due to the devoted work of scientists from all around the world, there are now several options to choose from.  Depending on the country you’re from, you probably can opt out for Pfizer, Chinese Sinovac or Russian Sputnik V.

All of these vaccines are somewhat similar, but still also have some major differences. The jury is out on which is the best current option, but in the meantime, most travelers have another question on their mind – would it be possible to receive a privately purchased vaccine while being in a remote destination? That is what we’re about to look into in the article today.

Why is there a need for private vaccinations?

Despite the authorities claiming that all citizens will get their right to receive a vaccine, it seems that some will have to wait a whole lot longer than others. This recently started a pretty heated debate when some countries from the European Unions, such as Germany, were not satisfied with the doses of Pfizer vaccine they were receiving.

The demand for vaccines is great at the moment, and due to the complicated procedure of storing and transport of these vaccines, the governments around the world were forced to create waiting lists, where some sectors, such as healthcare would be prioritized. Naturally, this did not sit too well with others, which caused the need for private vaccinations.

Private clinics are searching for their own deals

Being that the biggest number of countries in the world support a global open market, it can be very difficult for individual states to employ their own set of rules. As things stand right now, this is considered a gray area for many nations.

The example of Brazil, a country that suffered major losses due to the COVID outbreak, can provide a glimpse into the future. As the need for vaccines increases with each day, several private clinics began to send enquiries in order to obtain their doses. Whether this business model will continue to thrive remains to be seen, but it appears that other countries, such as Thailand are prepared to follow this path as well.

Are private purchased vaccines closer than what most assume?

If we take Thailand as an example, it seems that this possibility is a lot closer than it looks. One of their biggest private healthcare groups already put an order out for one million Sinovac vaccines, with an option to buy an additional amount of 9 million vaccines on a later date.

Naturally, a certain portion of these vaccines will go towards their employees and staff from other companies that work closely with them, but it is estimated that half of the acquired doses will be available to the general public. The price of the vaccine should amount to no more than $110, which is an acceptable sum for those who are in no position to wait for the public health sector.

There are a lot more examples of private healthcare facilities taking matters into their own hands. Another example can be found in India, where pharmaceutical companies are working around the clock in order to provide their own version of the vaccine, which according to the reports is close to being complete. The trend of countries that are looking to expand their vaccination policies as much as possible also includes Indonesia, where private healthcare providers might speed up the process even further.

As of right now, most of the information remain to be confirmed

While there is plenty of information that verify that the private vaccination will be available sooner rather than later, things are still hanging in the balance. On the other hand, certain pharmaceutical companies, such as Pfizer, already have stated that their vaccine is not going to be available to the private healthcare sector anytime soon. The only thing we can do is wait and hope for the best. We as digital nomads can all hope that travel will be resumed as quickly as possible. For most of us, that day cannot come fast enough.