TallGuyJohninBKK

1. No one knows the vaccination status of the current COVID hospitalizations in Thailand, because the government hasn't ever provided those kinds of details. 2. It's not 219 people in hospitals because of COVID. It's 219 in Thai hospitals with COVID in serious condition... And that's separate from the nearly 1,700 new COVID hospitalizations the government reported just for the most recent week. I don't believe they've ever recently provided a cumulative count of the current load of COVID hospitalizations across the country... They just tell us the numbers of new COVID hospitalizations as they occur, not the totals of all those currently hospitalized because of COVID.

I wouldn't call the current rate of 1,699 new COVID hospitalizations per week in Thailand as "miniscule." Especially if it was your family member ending up in the hospital because others around them didn't take reasonable precautions.

Think you're gonna have to wait a bit before the numbers come in on that one... But suffice to say...based on US statistics up thru last fall cited above which included an Omicron period, COVID since the start of the pandemic has always caused more deaths than the flu.... Also, here is the CDC's official causes of deaths chart for all of 2022, just released lately. And the category "chronic lower respiratory diseases" -- which includes more than just the flu -- was well below COVID, ranked as the 4th leading cause of death for 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7218a3.htm

No, it's not. And it never has been. Stats from the U.S.: "Over the past 12 years, the flu’s estimated annual death toll has been as low as 12,000, but never higher than 61,000—just an eighth of COVID’s death toll in the first year of the pandemic. Since the earliest days of the pandemic, weekly COVID deaths have been at least 15 times that of weekly flu deaths—and sometimes as much as 811 times." https://fortune.com/well/2022/09/27/why-covid-isnt-like-the-flu-death-toll-leading-cause-death-omicron-shot-booster-vaccine/

Research has shown that even so-called medical and drug store masks, if covering the mouth and nose, do a decent job of reducing the chances the wearer can spread COVID... Wearing a mask on the chin, of course, is useless. Better masks like the N95 types do a better job of both preventing the wearer from spreading the virus, AND in significantly reducing the chance the wearer will become infected.

No, once again, they didn't: "This virus is here to stay. It is still killing, and it’s still changing. The risk remains of new variants emerging that cause new surges in cases and deaths. The worst thing any country could do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that COVID-19 is nothing to worry about." WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing – 5 May 2023 https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-

Unsourced and unsubstantiated claims... Here's the reality of things: Study finds lifting mask mandates led to thousands of new COVID cases in Mass. schools "Massachusetts school districts that lifted mask mandates immediately after the state relaxed its requirement in February saw far more COVID-19 cases than districts that retained the policy voluntarily, according to a new study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The new research from authors at Harvard University, Boston University and the Boston Public Health Commission provides evidence for supporters of mask mandates as they call for school districts to enact protections against future surges." https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2022/11/09/study-finds-lifting-mask-mandates-led-to-thousands-of-new-covid-cases-in-mass-schools Fact Check-Social media claims that masks delay children’s speech development are missing context "Claims on social media that mask mandates have triggered an over 350% surge in childhood speech development delays are missing context. The claims stem from the referrals witnessed in one Florida clinic. Experts consulted by Reuters said there is as yet no significant evidence to confirm masks cause speech development delays in children." https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-masks-child-speech-development-idUSL1N2U62CO

Even an ill fitting mask helps reduce the risk of the wearer spreading COVID compared to the same person wearing no mask. But, both I and the public health agencies recommend people wear the best fitting mask they are comfortable with, especially when in indoors, crowded settings and those with poor ventilation.

No, they didn't: "This virus is here to stay. It is still killing, and it’s still changing. The risk remains of new variants emerging that cause new surges in cases and deaths. The worst thing any country could do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that COVID-19 is nothing to worry about." WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing – 5 May 2023 https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing---5-may-2023 What WHO did do is declare a formal end to their "COVID public health emergency" declaration they made several years ago.

As of last week, the government said there were 219 COVID patients hospitalized in serious condition, and 113 requiring intubation in order to breath (as documented in the second post in this thread). I wouldn't call that "almost nothing."

Yes, it does. It's never good to end up in the hospital.

Most of the world hasn't had new weekly COVID hospitalizations rise 10-fold over the past six weeks... But Thailand has... Perhaps that explains the MoPH's renewed focus on prevention measures.

If I was going to live in the NE, Udon Thani would be one of the top areas I would consider... It has an adequate presence of things suited to westerners, along with being a large enough Thai city to have decent commerce and infrastructure, and a good airport connection to Bangkok as well.

Most Thais here seem to do fairly well with common sense precautions aimed at reducing/preventing COVID, unlike too many farangs here... And the Thai Ministry of Public Health continues to recommend common sense measures for the general public, as illustrated below: https://www.facebook.com/thaimoph/posts/pfbid0UKMFdYjynfhYtv1q8QHVbAcigBQd7ziMcxPCwkKmTvST4M3YwwEU33zW16GQqrrql

I'd prefer to reserve my judgment, until someone comes along to tell everyone what their actual COVID schools measures will be... But I understand a lot of expats here like to express their venting outrage these days for anything related to COVID. I prefer to save my outrage for the fact that people continue to die and be hospitalized due to COVID... and not the public health measures aimed at reducing or preventing those deaths and hospitalizations.

Did you actually read the OP article, because AFAICT, it doesn't actually mention anything specific about what their school measures for COVID will be....

And the numbers of COVID patients hospitalized in serious condition and/or intubated both increased about 40% from two weeks ago to last week, per the government's report.

I didn't see the OP article saying anything specific about masking.

Of course the COVID hospitalization and death numbers are relevant... for this reason. School age children, these days amid Omicron, are at a relatively low risk for serious health problems themselves from COVID... BUT..... Thais often tend to live in multi-generational homes. So the bigger risk is Junior catches COVID at school where it's spreading, goes home, and spreads it to Thai grandpa and grandma, and THEY end up in the hospital with COVID... The authorities are correct to be mindful of the risks of COVID spreading among school age children.

The U.S. CDC hasn't had new weekly COVID hospitalizations rise 10-fold since the start of April, as Thailand has.... along with various other countries in SE Asia having similar surges in COVID cases. Thailand's dealing with Thailand's situation, and not what is or isn't going on elsewhere in the world. Thailand new weekly COVID hospitalizations and deaths -- April 2-8. Thailand new weekly COVID hospitalizations and deaths -- April 30 - May 6. https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/photos

Would have been nice if the OP article here actually included the details of the government's latest report (out yesterday) on the numbers of new COVID hospitalizations and deaths.

You're beating a dead horse... As I previously elaborated above: Despite the potential maximum of 10 years in prison, the only two actual sentencing examples for gun false statements cited in the news release you posted include: --sentenced on August 3, 2022, to serve three months in federal prison. --was sentenced to time-served, or essentially 16 months in federal custody, You chose to avoid quoting or mentioning those pertinent details that tend to discount the 10 year notion in the real world.

Your original post mentioned only the notion of a 10-year prison sentence for false information in connection with a gun license application. And yet, the only actual examples in the government news release you linked to -- examples you didn't quote -- involved actual sentences of MONTHS, not years.

You've mischaracterized what's actually detailed in that news release... For example, despite the potential maximum of 10 years in prison, the only two actual sentencing examples for gun false statements cited in the release include: --sentenced on August 3, 2022, to serve three months in federal prison. --was sentenced to time-served, or essentially 16 months in federal custody, Just because there's a maximum amount allowed under federal law doesn't mean everyone or most people convicted of that offense end up with the maximum.

The Daily Mail (the article link provided by the poster you were answering) is the Donald Trump of journalism.... ???? They shouldn't even be allowed as a credible news source on this forum, because... https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/daily-mail/