TorquayFan

I will be in the UK soon and I'm over 75 but I won't be taking up the NHS on this offer. I noticed recently - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11775169/Death-rates-NOT-higher-Covid-vaccinated-Brits.html and https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/02/unvaccinated-more-likely-to-have-heart-attack-stroke-after-covid-study-finds/ However my simple view remains that the current vaccines being offered are poorly targeted at current variants and I am not quite reassured on the issue of possible vaccine damage - (I had unpleasant symptoms after my 4th - 50% Moderna aspirated). My 'faith' is placed now in natural immunity after being infected in 2020 and 2022 and 5000iu of Vitamin D3 daily. And trying to stay fit generally. Anyway, that's until a much improved vaccine becomes available, when I may think again. MMmmmmm

It's very hard to find a beer today on the main street at Kanchanburi. This morning, just for fun, I asked a few cannabis bars if they were 'weeding' today, and yes of course they are. Strange to ban beer and not 'ganja' ? Or not ?

As one of a small group of 'Business Studies' students, I once met Jack Cohen, who started Tesco in London aeons ago. His barrow trading had expanded to over 100 stores before WW2 according to this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Cohen_(businessman) He'll be turning in his grave as he reads today's Guardian : "Tesco faces a landmark lawsuit in the UK from 130 former VKG workers who are suing Tesco for negligence and unjust enrichment. A seven-year-old girl, who was raped in the factory compound while her mother worked late making F&F clothes, is also a claimant. The workers made F&F jeans for the Thai branch of Tesco’s business between 2017 and 2020." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/03/thai-factory-used-by-tesco-faces-criminal-charges-over-treatment-of-workers How widespread is this problem in Thailand ? Temporary farm workers in remote areas, labourers/builders, immigrant workers are all vulnerable to similar exploitation, one suspects.

JRG - whereabouts do you expect to go? Phuket area may prove expensive and Pattaya is full on - maybe somewhere a bit quieter such as Cha am or Jomtien would be good? Depends on what you are looking for . . . . If you make friends easily in the US then I'd guess you'll be OK here. But have a good look around. Good luck.

Most of the batteries I have seen are 'Sealed for life' and IMO that is perfectly OK. Nigel the little shops should give you a rebate for the old battery. Taatoo - routine replacement is OTT for me. The driver can usually notice when the battery is beginning to weaken. For the sake of a few baht I would get some extra amp hours. GL

Forget the Main Dealer - expensive as said! Shop around at a few places convenient to you. The little shops are usually great - they'll get what you want and will come to your house to fit it if you are close by. It's a good idea to get a higher amp/hour rating than specified. Last year I paid B2,800 - B500 for an 80 amp/hour '3K' battery for my Vigo, (bigger than the one you need) and they gave me B500 for the old battery, unasked ! (the lead is stripped out and reused). B1800-B2200 probably.

Larry I wonder if that was a premium price in the tourist 'area' - where exactly? I recently had 3 stitches in Bangkok Hospital, Chantaburi. Total costs including removal B13,000 including B6500 for a CT brain scan which was necessary because I take blood thinners. The anti biotics which I did not take, were just B300. You bill was excessive and even mine seemed expensive - but I was very grateful to have been in AND out in 90 minutes - in the UK I'd still be waiting for the ambulance !! Hope you OK now.

That brilliant fun song, "Baby its cold outside', has also had a hard time from the 'woke' crowd in recent years. Apparently Chief Musical Drip of the USA, John Legend, has recorded a rewritten sanitised version which I won't link! My favourite version - Tom Jones in trouble again . . . it's fun, remember? 'Bloody freezing in' it' LOL https://www.nme.com/news/music/more-us-radio-stations-are-banning-baby-its-cold-outside-2417681

Yes the Cleveland study highlights just 30% protection against infection. Presumably thats the first step in protecting against serious illness, hospitalization, and deaths. Protection from the new bi-valents seems limited by the fact that they are targeting variants that have largely passed through. Re. the Qatar study - re. deaths defined as a result of vaccination, very different conclusions here https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36055877/

2 threads ? See reply on the other. ATB

If you ever go abroad the 90 day requirement will run from your re-entry date. So IMO its unusual for the 2 dates to coincide but you are OK. If you had renewed 31/12, you would still have to do your 90 days from 3/2.

Place H please re-read my post : "Thats not what I said. about China. I was making the point that the UK has had a lot of yellow cards (x?) but that we cant compare to China, because we dont have that (yellow card) data from them." I understand yellow cards - Im just saying, 500,000 is a LOT, leaving aside claims that unreported events might increase that figure dramatically. BFN

PlaceH - re your last. Thats not what I said. about China. I was making the point that the UK has had a lot of yellow cards (x?) but that we cant compare to China, because we dont have that data from them. But moving on, I would suggest theres a good chance that "inactivated virus" vaccines are quite likely to be less harmful. Brian - thanks for the links.

PlaceH I am not pushing an agenda - just wanting to know more. Yellow cards - of course they are just indicators and thats why they are counted. The numbers can point to a possible problem. Its the facts behind the trends that we need to know. Where are they? Its hard not to notice in these discussions, that the excess heart deaths never seem to be explained. With respect, as if, its all wonderful so shut up and lets go with it. MMMmmmmm

Thanks for the reply PlaceH but there were 500,000 yellow cards in the UK about potentially resultant events and that is quite a lot of complaints and that is relevant to the discussion of the merits of Chinese, traditional vaccines, in comparison to MRNA. My 3rd vax after an aspirated 50% Moderna gave me 12 hours feeling really bad with stress between my shoulders, (aorta), reminiscent of 6 hours at 200 bph I spent in 2013. Off course, we cant compare the Chinese vax re. yellow cards as they dont have that freedom in China. There are no sides in this, let us just get to the truth - whatever it is. The well lauded AZ vaccine, which seems now to have absented the scene totally now - is gone without a ripple. Explanations? Admissions?

Thanks PlaceH. So thats that then. Or not. Except - "It was effective against transmission and against hospitalization and death." That sounds bl**dy great to me. But what about the yellow cards ?

Mick - China developed "inactivated virus" traditional type vaccines and IMO its very hard to judge or conclude that their Sinopharm/Sinovac is inferior to the MRNA and the viral vector (AZ) vaccines. Data is scarce but we certainly know that China injected some sectors of the population and not others. Also they relied excessively on lockdowns and we dont know if they gave boosters. The massive wave in China now is probably due to the population not having acquiring natural immunity so far. Inter - that is interesting but surely, whatever the motives for the Chinese coming now, maybe 50% of the Chinese arriving are going to bring omicron or a new variant into Thailand. IMO a test before boarding and again after 2 days quarantine after arrival. Maybe just for a few weeks until we know more about what is happening in China.

OZI - yes that is right about A-Z. And it has been quietly withdrawn from use. Brian - thanks for Media fact check. MMmmm. Thats handy. There is IMO enough evidence around for us at least to be wary and keep an open mind on the MHRA and as time goes on, more facts may emerge. I hope the situation does not become such that its right to consider another booster!

Gargamon yes of course. Each variant has so far evolved milder with Omicron being more flu like now. But something worse might arrive and then its back to the horrors of lockdowns and so on. No thanks - IMO shut the border to China, for now at least. Ozi re. Sinopharm and Sinovac - I dont think China vaccinated widely enough and maybe missed some age groups. If they havent boosted along the way, immunity could have waned. China certainly seems to be struggling with Covid atm.

More than half of passengers on a flight from China to Italy have tested positive for COVID-19 - as China prepares to open up its borders despite a huge surge in infections. Two flights into Milan were among the first to see passengers subjected to new mandatory testing imposed on Chinese travellers. Guido Bertolaso, Lombardy regional councillor for welfare, told a news conference: "On the first flight, out of 92 passengers 35 (38%) are positive. On the second, out of 120 passengers 62 (52%) are positive." On Wednesday evening the US became the fifth country to impose restrictions on Chinese travellers - as China prepares to issue ordinary passports and visas in a huge step away from COVID measures that have isolated the country for nearly three years. https://news.sky.com/story/covid-patients-no-longer-have-to-quarantine-in-hong-kong-as-restrictions-are-lifted-1277549 China has a particular problem (again) and it makes sense, at the very least, to require a covid check before departure. No mention of which variant is running riot over there ? Omicron I guess. Well done Italy, Japan and all - I would like to see the UK (and Thailand) take measures too. Like NOW !

Thanks Brian - I will study that - absolute - and - relative risk - bit later. Got a blind spot there and do not get it atm. Some good points in your link. Andrew Bridgen may be an unusual MP but we have to assess what he says - but it is already decided who he is apparently. For me 500,000 yellow cards is enough to cause some alarm never mind the accompanying doubts on the 1 in 10. And all the evidence of excess heart deaths including comments from Dr Malhotra are hard to dismiss. And it is a fact I believe that Pharma finance MHRA and FDA directly or indirectly to some extent, so plenty of grey areas and influences at work. I did listen to the routine reply from the Minister but thought it a simple put down of the inconvenient, as would be expected. I want to know more about these heart stats.

Generally I have been in favour of the covid vaccines throughout, but as more data emerges, I am really beginning to wonder. But it is hard to have a discussion when everything is doubted and there are allegations of conspiracy theory applied when it suits. IMHO the anti-vax at the start of Covid, had no facts and their positions were based on prejudice only, but as time goes on, we have got a lot more actual information arising which I am finding hard to ignore. My youngest Son is in Florida - I dont think Ron de Santis is manipulating this - he should be heard. Likewise, the MP Andrew Bridgen in his recent speech in my post above, made many good points worthy to consider. I havent even mentioned this Dr Malhotra and his comments - concerns about the increase in heart problems are valid. Just suggesting, instead of trading positions, we should look at facts as they are now. In the face of valid doubts, Moderna are making international efforts to install MRNA vax by the billion around the World - lets be sure about the MRNA before we go along with that !

Re Ron De Santis - vax issues have to be questioned. In the UK there are similar contentions https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/d0cc6561-6ab9-46ea-8d6d-f07ac0cf136d and the notable Andrew Bridgen MP's comments at 7.04 pm 1. It's said there have been almost 500,000 yellow card reports of adverse effects relating to the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech MRNA covid vaccines and apparently this is more than total reported yellow cards from all sources over the last 40 years. It's also held that normally it's just 1 in 10 of these events that get reported . . . The journal 'Vaccine' analysed the original Pfizer trial data and concluded that one in 800 adverse reactions ranked as SERIOUS 'adverse events', more than the chances of being hospitalised with the original wuhan strain. 2. The original emergency approval for the Pfizer covid vaccine was given because it showed it reduced the risk of infection by 95%, (is that an absolute risk reduction of 95%?) Later data from the Omicron era says the absolute risk reduction is 0.84% meaning that 119 people are treated to prevent 1 infection and that for people over the age of 80, 7,380 people need the vax to prevent 1 death and that number becomes enormous with younger age groups. 3. A paper from Israel showed a 25% increase in cardiac arrests in 16-39 year olds and the UK showed an extra 14,000 cardiac arrests in 2021 over 2020. Myself I've seen many other reports of this nature. 4. The MP feels that FDA/MHRA would be more independent if not mainly financed directly or indirectly through Pharma and that all trial data should be in public domain. In concluding the MP implores the Govt to halt the use of MRNA vaccines completely and whilst the debate doesn't bubble on, there are frequent reports of the Govt making massive commitments, (not disclosed) to Moderna for massive future supplies of MRNA covid vaccines, presumably as updated for new variants. Similar reports from Canada, Australia, the USA. Are the UK Govt locked into early 2020 panic mode as far as Covid is concerned ? I've tried hard to understand what's going on here. I may have misinterpreted something, in which case, I am eager to learn. Covid wise I am not 'vax' or 'anti vax' but I want to know more about what's going on. OK my comments are about the UK but it's likely that Thailand will follow Europe/USA in their future moves so it affects us here. MMmmmmm

Sorry let me add to that - I've tried hard to understand what's going on here. I may have misinterpreted something, in which case, I am eager to learn. Covid wise I am not 'vax' or 'anti vax' but I want to know more about what's going on in truth. OK my comments are about the UK but it's likely that Thailand will follow Europe/USA in their future moves si it affects us here. I've had wuhan and omicron once each and 4 MHRA vax - atm though, I'm reluctant to go further. Hoping a genuinely better and safe vax may emerge. Maybe I'll wait until then ! Meantime it's E & O E. ATB

I refer to this https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/d0cc6561-6ab9-46ea-8d6d-f07ac0cf136d and the notable Andrew Bridgen MP's comments at 7.04 pm 1. It's said there have been almost 500,000 yellow card reports of adverse effects relating to the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech MRNA covid vaccines and apparently this is more than total reported yellow cards from all sources over the last 40 years. It's also held that normally it's just 1 in 10 of these events that get reported . . . The journal 'Vaccine' analysed the original Pfizer trial data and concluded that one in 800 adverse reactions ranked as SERIOUS 'adverse events', more than the chances of being hospitalised with the original wuhan strain. 2. The original emergency approval for the Pfizer covid vaccine was given because it showed it reduced the risk of infection by 95%, (is that an absolute risk reduction of 95%?) Later data from the Omicron era says the absolute risk reduction is 0.84% meaning that 119 people are treated to prevent 1 infection and that for people over the age of 80, 7,380 people need the vax to prevent 1 death and that number becomes enormous with younger age groups. 3. A paper from Israel showed a 25% increase in cardiac arrests in 16-39 year olds and the UK showed an extra 14,000 cardiac arrests in 2021 over 2020. Myself I've seen many other reports of this nature. 4. The MP feels that FDA/MHRA would be more independent if not mainly financed directly or indirectly through Pharma and that all trial data should be in public domain. In concluding the MP implores the Govt to halt the use of MRNA vaccines completely and whilst the debate doesn't bubble on, there are frequent reports of the Govt making massive commitments, (not disclosed) to Moderna for massive future supplies of MRNA covid vaccines, presumably as updated for new variants. Similar reports from Canada, Australia, the USA. There may bes helpful 2nd generation vaccine of more 'universal' nature coming through and it would be good to know that they will get a fair 'hearing' as it were. The Govt. and Moderna have fully committed apparently to MRNA but it is still quite possible that another Pharma will Partner some other 2nd generation candidate which will be seen to be far superior. Are the Govt locked into early 2020 panic mode as far as Covid is concerned ?