Donga

Trust these miserable deluded mongrels are either taken away for treatment or given time in the cooler.

Better still, lock them into a big room where they can count and check each of the votes for the states Trump has been disputing. And have it televised and they can show the world, slowly how the election was LOST by Trump.

Reality TV that would even get my attention ????
 

8 hours ago, flossie35 said:

Usual brexiter reply: "the EU is about to fall apart". The evidence is all to the contrary. The usual failure to explain why brexit is good for us when all the evidence is, once again, to the contrary. We are going to be worse off economically, culturally poorer, more insular and xenophobic. M Beaune hits the nail on the head.

Wot! Just like Switzerland?

Thailand with a couple of hundred cases a day does not need to lockdown. Lockdowns are last resort and required when a country has lost control and Thailand never has, fact.

Britain with 50,000 cases yesterday lost control months ago. They haven't got the resources to contact trace those numbers and have to test, test, test to find their cases. Pls don't compare Britain with Thailand - Britain is 200 times worse.

If individual provinces want to lockdown in Thailand, let them know themselves out. There is little benefit on top of the existing measures of effective contact tracing, widespread masks, restrict indoor gatherings, general community discipline (never going to be 100% but pretty good) and the weather. 

Over 50,000 cases reported for one day!

That's 200x Thailand's 250 cases today. And don't tell me it's because Thais don't test enough, the hospitals tell the story.

Similar populations - vastly different management systems, community discipline and the weather definitely helps.

The vaccines for the Brits and Americans can't come soon enough.

Sounds like it was handled quite well after the guy had his silly little outburst.

Video would have been hilarious, big dude kicking the legs of the little Thai lady with a trolley. 

Monty Python comes to mind ????

Worse case won't eventuate.

With general community discipline (compared to Europe as US), widespread masks, reasonable contact tracing (far superior to Europe and US), strong quarantine systems, health volunteers and advantage of the climate, expect will be much closer to his low projection of 1,000 per day than the moderate 8,000 or the 18,000 fear headline.

Let's see shall we.

5 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I haven't seen any Thai health volunteers out here in rural Kamphaeng Phet for a couple of years.

Do you have any idea why not? Village I'm associated with near Det Udom does and I doubt Reuters would have got it so horribly wrong.. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-iran/irans-coronavirus-cases-exceed-one-million-health-ministry-idINKBN28D1EZ

My main point is about testing. Many on this forum seem to to think that the only reason there have been so few cases reported is because of lack of testing. Or maybe they believe that the initial outbreaks, more recent Chiang Rai and now Samut Sakhon situations are made up, while others are ignored? Can only assume they think Europe had lots of Covid, so therefore so should Thailand. There are many reasons why Thailand has done better with Covid than Europe.

Testing is necessary when you've lost control of your outbreaks to the extent you can't contact trace anymore. What's the point of doing tests now in all those provinces where clearly there are no Covid cases. Or are the local health workers, media and government involved in cover ups. Good grief.

19 hours ago, rabas said:

Chicken shows up at hospital.

"Quick, look for  more eggs!"

 

If no one has symptoms or shows up at hospital there is no need to test the entire population.

Yep, why test, test, test where there's no cluster? Different if you're like UK or other countries that have got so many clusters, so have to test, test, test to try regain some control or at least limit the spread.

Besides with the Thai health volunteers checking on households regularly, beats testing once in a lifetime... https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-thailand-volunteer-idUSKBN23B044

Bit of a worry, though suppose if any of the migrants are carriers and illegal, that they'll get back to Myanmar in quick time. And hopefully the others get tested or at least stay isolated.

I can't help thinking there will be pressure brought to bear on these migrant workers to be tested asap, hope so.

Be very interesting to see how this plays out.

I don't know of any country which has successfully managed Covid to have opened up yet, so Thailand is not alone. Believe Singapore is probably leading the charge in Asia.

Frustrating sure, but not surprising.

Hoping to get back in March/April ????????

6 minutes ago, Jake72 said:

 

We don't need you to interpret the study I posted, it's got it's own conclusion and doesn't need any further interpretation. Their conclusion is that the difference between catching covid while wearing a mask and not wearing a mask is statistically insignificant.

 

And the nature article you posted is just based on a simulation that again is based on assumptions, not real data being collected.

 

Why is it that we don't have any proper scientific studies proving that lockdowns etc works? These lockdowns are destroying the livelihood of 100s of million of people all over the world. Surely we should have some actual scientific data to back up those decisions.

 

Also you ignored this: "please explain the difference in a flu virus/cold spreading and the covid virus spreading." did you not understand? If you had a cold in the last year, then you could just as easily have caught the covid virus.

I don't believe in lockdowns, they are a blunt tool. Hurt so many people, mostly the young, and/or less financial and drives me nuts.

However, Covid is very real, needs to be managed and there are some effective measures that the Europeans and Americans played poorly - effective quarantining and tracing, basic social distancing (inc reducing crowded indoor gatherings, but not outdoors, masked if crowded), community masking and self isolation for the vulnerable. Heat and humidity can be an advantage but did little to help Central American countries.

I don't get the cold/flu angle. Suffice to say, there is a lot more immunity to the common cold, e.g. I have the vaccine for free each year. The cold doesn't burden the hospital systems as much as Covid does when not managed well. Fortunately Thailand has managed Covid very well.
 

26 minutes ago, Jake72 said:

 

None of these are peer reviewed scientific studies, these are opinion pieces/articles. Why are there no actual studies? There are however scientific peer reviewed studies saying that wearing a mask will not protect you e.g. https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-6817

 

What part of "please explain the difference in a flu virus/cold spreading and the covid virus spreading." did you not understand? If you had a cold in the last year, then you could just as easily have caught the covid virus.

Your study refers to the scenario where the community is not generally wearing masks... "Thus, these findings do not provide data on the effectiveness of widespread mask wearing in the community in reducing SARS-CoV-2 infections. They do, however, offer evidence about the degree of protection mask wearers can anticipate in a setting where others are not wearing masks and where other public health measures, including social distancing, are in effect."

Clearly masks will be more effective, if for example I'm talking or coughing to you and we're both wearing masks. Has worked by and large in East Asia - reflects the cultural conformity and not being stressed about having to wear a mask.

Did you read the stuff from MIT and how effective masks would be if 70% of people wear them? And here's a peer reviewed study that you might like.. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17922-x

1 hour ago, Jake72 said:

 

Show me the science. I haven't seen any peer reviewed published studies confirming that masks, lockdowns and social distancing make any difference.

 

And please explain the difference in a flu virus/cold spreading and the covid virus spreading. Surely if you are not protected from the common cold, then you are also not protected from the covid virus.

Crack me up, Jake. Social distancing doesn't work, eh. How much distance you talking about? You think Covid travels through the air like a wraith?

On masks, there are studies, I recall one very good one from Japan. And here's a couple of reviews to assist, first one from MIT... https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/10/20/1009328/a-mask-mandate-could-have-saved-thousands/

And here's one that explains how they work... https://scitechdaily.com/covid-19-pandemic-could-be-stopped-if-at-least-70-of-the-public-wore-face-masks-consistently/

Many countries where they've been distancing and wearing masks have also experienced a sharp drop in flu deaths. Can you think why that would be?

8 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

With a population of approx. 70 million then all persons in Thailand should have been visited at least every 2 months, have been here throughout all 10 months and we have never been visited.

Where do you live? They're mostly in the villages, not the towns so much. Surprised you've never heard of them.
My partner was a health volunteer at her village, visiting ten households regularly, before she moved to Hua Hin.
Did you read the Reuters link?

42 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Maybe if by the "world" you mean the small circle of denialists. But in the real world, not so much.

Wind and Solar Are Crushing Fossil Fuels

Record clean energy investment outpaces gas and coal 2 to 1.

Wind and Solar Are Crushing Fossil Fuels - Bloomberg

 

Four year old article, before the limitations of solar and wind dawned and the Europeans have increased Russian gas supply and made US wood chips the fastest energy source - where's the outrage?

So until battery storage becomes real, what do we use if not living in a geothermal or hydro landscape? Why can't folk understand that a power resource, which is available less than 70% of the time, needs reliable back-up energy? Amazing.

Pls provide references to any of these large battery storage banks that will provide back-up power for days..

They are being used to stabilise  the grid from the surges created by renewables, which I love by the way. Got 20 solar panels and know their limitations.

You're talking small %s of renewables. 20% for wind eh - all the time? And when it's not windy? And the solar when its dark or rainy, what is the backup? In UK it's gas and nuclear which makes sense for the time being. Burning US imported wood chips does not at all and it's a disgrace. https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2019/3/4/18216045/renewable-energy-wood-pellets-biomass

17 hours ago, stevenl said:

Unfortunately she is correct, see also the first reaction here.

Greta is correct about all the silly hypothetical targets, but she is guilty in encouraging the righteous naivety. Sweden has 50% hydro and 30% nuclear power. There is no country able to generate over 50% non hydro or thermal renewable energy. And yet all this focus on solar and wind as the righteous have no clue about the limitations due inherent intermittency. 

Battery storage is for minutes, not days. Righteous don't like fossil fuels, so gas is on the nose for most of them as is the obvious solution, nuclear - safest energy source per KwH by a country mile. Search it if in disbelief.

So what are the Europeans doing to meet their renewable targets? Burning US imported wood chips, the fastest growing energy source in Europe. Biomass fuel is now more used than solar and wind combined - because it's not intermittent.. https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2019/3/4/18216045/renewable-energy-wood-pellets-biomass

Until the activists and the governments they influence get real about dealing with renewables limitations, protest about US wood chips and recognise nuclear energy as the way forward, they are pissing in the wind.

48 minutes ago, ThaiFelix said:

And confirmed!!  Wow!  It makes you wonder what the authorities in the US and Europe have been doing, or not doing, to let this thing get completely out of hand when Thailand can confirm its under control after a week or so??  Absolutely marvelous!!  Give yourselves a pat on the back and a few well deserved selfies lol.

Little wonder really. Let's look at a few differences between Europe, American covid scenarios and Thailand:

1. They didn't wear face masks from the onset as western experts and WHO didn't think they were effective. They were so horribly wrong and changed tack way too late in May/June, incurring cultural and political silliness depending on the country.
2. Their quarantine processes were not nearly as effective as Thailand state quarantine - some had self isolation haha. The Europeans went crazy in Summer. Social distancing and face masks went out the window. The Thais never let the infected numbers exceed their capacity to trace the contacts. You can't say that for most of Europe and Americas, they never really got on top of it.
3. Thailand has one million health volunteers calling on households daily.. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-thailand-volunteer-idUSKBN23B044  So effective in the provincial outbreaks.

This all apart from the heat and humidity advantage (though take care as central America has similar conditions and has been smashed) and Thailand's higher degree of cultural conformity.

It is no wonder that Thailand's success has been recognised by the WHO as well as John Hopkins University.

Continually amazed at the number of naysayers on this forum who just don't get it. Thailand nailed Covid and continues to control the few outbreaks, which will always occur.

Well done dudes, now please apply the same application to the driving standards.