Bkk Brian

Looks like the WHO European Director has a slightly different take, at least for Europe. Europe could be headed for pandemic 'endgame': WHO The Omicron variant has moved the Covid-19 pandemic into a new phase and could bring it to an end in Europe, the WHO Europe director said Sunday. "It's plausible that the region is moving towards a kind of pandemic endgame," Hans Kluge told AFP in an interview, adding that Omicron could infect 60 percent of Europeans by March. Once the current surge of Omicron sweeping across Europe subsides, "there will be for quite some weeks and months a global immunity, either thanks to the vaccine or because people have immunity due to the infection, and also lowering seasonality". https://news.yahoo.com/europe-could-headed-pandemic-endgame-185323297.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall&guccounter=1

Japan did well in keeping its death rates down there is no denying that, many countries though did better, South Korea, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia. Japan was also very strict on its border controls and again has ramped them up last week with new entry of foreign nationals is suspended. Bars and restaurants etc all now have to close early at least in Tokyo and other area's. Omicron recently hit Japan and its shooting up, deaths are following, however nowhere near previous levels. Fingers crossed for them their formula carries on producing good results.

Not sure where ourworldindata are getting their figures from but for its last data point the 23rd Jan it is showing a case count of 10,860 whereas the official dashboard on the 23rd showed only 7,686 PCR positive tests carried out. Seems like we now have a range of different figures for Thailand along with the ATK tests. PCR test positive cases, total of 6,718 official new infections. 12 official covid deaths recorded. Rapid tests positive cases, 2,032 bringing the total of PCR and ATK results to 8,750 https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/ Rolling 7 day average chart from 23rd Jan https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/thailand

Thailand’s digital minister in hospital for COVID-19 treatment He said that he might have contracted the disease while visiting the northern province of Chiang Mai last Thursday, adding that he now has a fever and mild headache, but his lungs are normal. The prime minister was given his second booster shot (fourth dose) using the Pfizer vaccine and took an RT-PCR test last Friday prior to leaving Bangkok for Saudi Arabia tomorrow morning. https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailands-digital-minister-in-hospital-for-covid-19-treatment/

PCR test positive cases, total of 7,139 official new infections. 13 official covid deaths recorded. Rapid tests positive cases, 2,629 bringing the total of PCR and ATK results to 9,768 https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/ Rolling 7 day average chart from 22nd Jan https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/thailand

Yet that study from Israel on a 4th booster shot in now way mentioned the need for a 5th stating instead that it not enough to prevent Omicron-variant infections. Your conclusion is not what it says and very misleading.

After all they don't want people being put off their new Test Test a Go Go

Not all schools are mandating this, not the one my daughter goes to anyway. They were advising parents to give permission. We did get our daughter vaccinated although she is 13 so out of the age range of this topic.

WHO Recommends Reduced Dose Pfizer COVID Vaccine for Under 12s By Reuters Jan. 21, 2022, at 8:11 a.m The World Health Organization on Friday recommended extending the use of a reduced dosage of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine to children aged 5 to 11 years old. The recommended dosage for the younger population is 10 micrograms instead of 30 micrograms offered to those 12 years and older. "This age group (5-11) is in the lowest priority use group for vaccination except, for children who have co-morbidities," SAGE chairman Alejandro Cravioto said at a briefing. https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-01-21/who-advisory-panel-recommends-extending-use-of-pfizer-vaccine-to-5-11-year-olds

My response to the poster was his assertion that there were deaths in children due to the covid vaccine, you can clearly see my reply and linked article to that, ie, zero in the UK.

Not true, since January 2020 when covid was first detected in Thailand till April 1st 2021, over a year there were only 94 deaths. Since 1st April 2021 till present there has been 21,925, just over 9 months. The pandemic’s true death toll: millions more than official counts https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00104-8

I've not looked at the rest of the world but there are no deaths in children from covid vaccination in the UK, ever. There have however been 25 deaths of healthy children with no under lying diseases as a direct result of covid https://fullfact.org/health/covid-vaccines-infections-children/

With not enough genomic sequencing going on here in Thailand they may be a little anxious about the new sub linage BA.2 of Omicron also known as the stealth Omicron. After South Africa, Denmark was the next country to get fully hit with Omicron and the peak has not been reached yet, its still up all the way, because of the sheer numbers involved that also includes deaths, they are now at a higher level than their very first wave. The new linage according to evidence is not any more virulent but is harder to detect and is more transmissible than the original Omicron. Some scientists have dubbed the sub-lineage “stealth omicron” as its genetic makeup could make it harder to spot using PCR tests. While cases are low in the U.K., BA.2 accounts for nearly half (45%) of Danish Covid-19 cases, according to Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut (SSI), part of its ministry of health, a jump from just 20% in the last week of 2021.

I've seen it reported a couple of times from the Thai Health Ministry that for those under 12 it is a parents choice. It seems to be a decision being taken by individual schools and there is no national consensus. So long as your child had weekly ATK tests along with the other children then that should be enough, imo. Of course all the teachers and parents should be vaccinated, that goes without saying. At the end of the day however you have to weigh up the pro and cons of the effects of missing school for your child, its not just the education, its the important social interaction, cognitive development and mental health.

Upward trend in infections keeps Thailand under Covid alert level 4 Thailand will remain under Covid-19 alert level 4 because infections are still on a rising trend, the Public Health Ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit said on Friday. Earlier this week, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul indicated the possibility of lowering the alert level by one point as the situation is “partly under control” with less than 20 deaths per day. https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011378

PCR test positive cases, total of 8,112 official new infections. 19 official covid deaths recorded. Rapid tests positive cases, 2,095 bringing the total of PCR and ATK results to 10,207 https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/ Rolling 7 day average chart from 20th Jan https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/thailand

PCR test positive cases, total of 8,640 official new infections. 13 official covid deaths recorded. Rapid tests positive cases, 3,356 bringing the total of PCR and ATK results to 11,996 https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/ Rolling 7 day average chart from 19th Jan https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/thailand

Its not been reported, why? Certainly unlikely to all be Omicron deaths in my opinion but if you know of reports please share

Yes I remember that but I have no faith in what they said

Just thinking about the situation in the prison system, Omicron must have spread in there by now. I wonder how long we'll be waiting for them to tell us if ever this time? Perhaps they'll need to prosecute the prison officials for keeping it quiet.....lol

According to this, Test and go starts again 1st Feb: Thai News Reports: According to the government spokesperson, the CCSA agreed to re-open Test & Go registrations for Thailand Pass, for both Thais & foreigners, starting from 1st February. They can come from any country. It becomes official once published in the royal gazette. https://twitter.com/ThaiNewsReports/status/1484031269743005699

Those who don’t report positive ATK results can face penalties – DDC director Has your at-home Covid-19 test come out positive? If so, report the results to government health officials. Those who do not report their result can face charges. Speaking at a press conference, the director-general of the Department of Disease Control, Opas Karnkawinpong, warned that anyone who finds themselves infected with Covid-19 by using the ATK test and keeps it a secret will be prosecuted. https://thethaiger.com/news/national/those-who-dont-report-positive-atk-results-can-face-penalties-ddc-director

Yes an I do agree, when I'm out here in Phuket, shopping or whatever I can say that certainly at least 50% of what are obviously tourists are not bothering at all with masks and are wondering about oblivious to everyone else around them that are. The rule should also be enforced for them, not just locals and us expats who are.

Yesterdays WHO Thailand Update: Daily severe & ventilated Covid-19 cases (bed occupancy) https://www.who.int/thailand/emergencies/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports

PCR test positive cases, total of 8,129 official new infections. 19 official covid deaths recorded. Rapid tests positive cases, 2,170 bringing the total of PCR and ATK results to 10,299 https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/ Rolling 7 day average chart not included as it has still not been updated since the 14th Jan https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/thailand