Jump to content

TheCowboy

Member
  • Posts

    18
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Recent Profile Visitors

The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.

TheCowboy's Achievements

Rookie Member

Rookie Member (2/14)

  • 10 Posts
  • First Post
  • 5 Reactions Given
  • Week One Done
  • One Month Later

Recent Badges

47

Reputation

  1. Aside from your disapproval, is there supposed to be some kind of downside to this?
  2. Commentary on flaws in this non-peer-reviewed study. In particular, because early action (China, Australia, etc.) doesn't reduce non-existent deaths, it isn't counted as effective. https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-a-preprint-looking-at-the-impact-of-lockdowns-as-posted-on-the-john-hopkins-krieger-school-of-arts-and-sciences-website/
  3. The person who writes these headlines is doing Thailand a great disservice. As the article points out, Covid is "sweeping the US and Europe with record numbers," Thai hospitals are "bracing for worse days to come," and Omicron payouts are "overstretching" insurance companies. The government has changed its arrival policy in response to new information and new circumstances since Test & Go was originally devised -- in particular, that fully vaccinated travelers may be infected, and infections may be missed because of smaller testing windows. Tourists have changed their plans because holiday travelers usually have shorter vacation times. Any "panic" reflects the writer's own opinions about Thailand's Covid policy, and not the facts nor responses to them.
  4. I think it's that the OP / "news team" is employed by the site host to write a weekly "Thailand News Review," and is probably either paid by the word, or is simply encouraged to say as many provocative things as possible in order to attract SEOs and advertising. Perhaps the OP can add to or correct this impression?
  5. Great, thank you for not joining my gym. My experience has been 100% that the occasional unmasked person at my gym will mask up if asked politely, while also pointing out that a) it's a posted requirement of this and all other fitness centers in Thailand, and b) at my age there's no up-side to losing that extra margin of safety. Full staff support too, I'd add -- they did not enjoy being out of work for the months that gyms were closed down here.
  6. Great, thanks! For your consideration: a line showing seven day moving average of the daily PCR+ATK total?
  7. Sorry if I'm being dumb here -- are you getting the data then making the PCR+ATK bar graph yourself? I can't find it on the MOPH site.
  8. Bkk Brian, can you please clarify the source of the very helpful two-tone green bar chart of PCR and ATK totals? Thanks.
  9. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(21)00451-5/fulltext https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S1473-3099(21)00451-5 (pdf link) Table 1 shows that the expected number of unrelated "background" cases during an equivalent period in 2020 was about 26+/-3 per 100,000. The inactivated vaccine (CoronaVac) is believed to have caused be associated with an additional 4.8 cases per 100,000, while the mRNA (Pfizer) have caused is thought to be associated with additional 2 cases per 100,000. In other words, for every person who is affected by the vaccine, 5-10 times as many people will coincidentally develop Bell's Palsy for reasons having nothing to do with vaccination. The effect size is very small. It is also important to note that the investigation compared two different vaccine technologies for which data were readily available -- Sinovac (inactivated virus) and Pfizer (mRNA) It did not compare Sinovac or Pfizer against other vaccines of the same types. Other vaccines use the same inactivated virus tech as Sinovac (for rabies, influenza, Hep A, etc.), and possible increased incidence of Bell's Palsy for these diseases and vaccines have been investigated elsewhere.
  10. Actually, Operation Warp Speed bought hundreds of millions of doses, which the federal government distributes for free (often adding funding to manage vaccination programs). The Dep't of Health & Human Services allocates shots to 5 federal agencies -- State, Defense, VA, Prisons, and Indian Affairs -- using the same formula used for distribution to the states and territories. Some details are provided here: https://www.ft.com/content/8212dd93-959d-40ad-ab52-87dc05fbe0ad “The department is one of several federal agencies receiving vaccine allotments due to our national security mandate,” (Anthony Blinken, Sec. of State) ... The Department of Health and Human Services said it allocates a percentage of available vaccine doses weekly to five federal entities, including the state and defence departments, proportional to the adult population of each.
  11. Taxpaying US citizen here. Although the Embassy response to citizen concerns has been atrocious, it still seems perfectly reasonable to vaccinate US gov staff, including Embassy and JUSMAAGTHAI (and other military and gov research personnel) here. They are a tiny number compared to the expat population, and may, sooner or later, provide essential services to us. Treating them doesn't undermine the general principle that we're responsible for our own healthcare when we're overseas. And I am quite proud that US policy has supported allocating a portion -- 150,000 -- of our donated vaccines to all expats in greatest need, regardless of nationality -- those over 60, pregnant, or with one of the listed health issues -- rather than being reserved for younger US nationals at much lower risk. And who can greatly mitigate (although not completely eliminate) that risk with readily available Sinovac right now. I'd also point out that US expats under 60 are more likely to be working, and thus more likely to benefit from the expat taxable income exclusion, which is $107,600 for 2020, in addition to avoiding state tax liability as non-residents. The exclusion is partly based on the assumption that expats will make fewer calls on US services, independent of tax obligations in their countries of residence. It seems to me that the expectation of automatically being provided with a particular vaccine because Americans who live in the USA can get it is one of these. Finally, I'm writing this less in response to the OP than to non-American lurkers on this thread, just to make the point that while we red-blooded Murkins might not agree with particular officials or specific policies, we can also cool our jets (i.e. flame off) and appreciate the larger picture. And to suggest to my compatriots that members of Congress -- in particular, Tammy Duckworth, although I'm sure there are others -- should be thanked for what they are accomplishing in getting vaccines to Thailand, rather than blamed for what they are not.
  12. https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-show-proof-of-vaccination-new-york-city-5196619 which says: You can show your paper COVID-19 vaccination card or use the official apps to enter indoor venues like restaurants, bars, and movie theaters in New York City. The New York State Excelsior Pass only works for those who have been vaccinated in the state. Out-of-state visitors will have to opt for the city's NYC COVID Safe app. For international visitors, all WHO-authorized vaccines are acceptable, according to the NYC mayor's press office. Regarding the NFL, I suspect that if they have a way to let unvaccinated QBs (like Lamar Jackson, who is the Ravens starter against the Raiders) into the stadium, there will be an arrangement that lets their app verify overseas WHO-authorized vaccines.
×
×
  • Create New...