TallGuyJohninBKK

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy, October 2023 COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was defined as having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was defined as not having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. New 23-country study in Nature Medicine. Responses from 23,000 people point to need for more locally relevant communication strategies to increase vaccine confidence While it found that global uptake of at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose was robust, a new survey published in Nature Medicine revealed mixed signals about the current acceptance of vaccines generally, especially COVID-19 boosters. The new survey of 23,000 respondents from 23 countries representing more than 60% of the world’s population is the fourth in series of studies led annually since 2020 by a team from the City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH). ... Reported global uptake of at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose rose last year to 87.8%, as compared to 36.9% in 2021 and 70.4% in 2022. However, the intent to get a COVID-19 booster (71.6%) was lower compared to 2022 (87.9%). “The SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to circulate and mutate,” says Ayman El-Mohandes, senior author and dean of CUNY SPH. “Variant-adapted boosters are available, but public health statistics show that many older people and others who are at higher risk of severe disease and death have not accepted them.” In addition, documented spillover effects on routine immunization raise the threat of the reemergence of other childhood and adult vaccine-preventable diseases. While just more than three respondents in five (60.8%) said that their experience with COVID-19 made them more willing to get vaccinated against other diseases other than COVID-19, almost a quarter (23.1%) reported greater reluctance to do so. (more) https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1042859 Influence of COVID-19 on trust in routine immunization, health information sources and pandemic preparedness in 23 countries in 2023 Vaccine hesitancy5, pandemic fatigue6 and vaccine fatigue, defined as the ‘inertia or inaction toward vaccine information or instruction due to perceived burden and burnout’7, continue to present challenges to vaccine uptake in 2023. Although COVID-19 has been deprioritized as a substantial public health threat since 2023, the virus strains continue to circulate and, in some settings, lead to new increases in hospitalization and intensive care unit admission1. The potential impact of vaccine hesitancy on confidence in booster doses remains substantial8. In addition, documented spillover effects on routine immunization pose a threat for the reemergence of some childhood and adult vaccine-preventable diseases9,10. “I am more willing to get vaccinated against other disease (e g, flu, measles,viral hepatitis B)” COVID-19 vaccine booster acceptance among those vaccinated decreased from 87.9% in 2022 to 71.6% in 2023 (P < 0.001) (Fig. 1b). This decrease was most profound in HICs [high income countries] (from 85.1% to 63.3%, P < 0.001), compared with MICs [middle income countries] (from 90.5% to 78.9%, P = 0.010). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-02939-2

The same research team at the Univ. of Minnesota in the U.S. has done a series of published studies on the effects of metformin against COVID: Study: Using a diabetes medication after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 reduces risk of developing long COVID by 40% June 8, 2023 Taking a two-week course of metformin, a safe and affordable diabetes medication after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 leads to 40% fewer long COVID diagnoses over the following 10 months, compared to individuals taking a placebo, finds a new study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal. The long-term symptoms some people experience after SARS-CoV-2 infection, known as long COVID, are an emerging chronic illness potentially affecting millions of people around the world. ... This is the first phase 3 randomized controlled trial of a treatment for patients in the community that shows a medication can reduce the risk of long COVID when taken after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. ... Metformin prevented over 40% of cases of long COVID in the trial with 6.3% (35/564) of participants given metformin reporting a long COVID diagnosis within 10 months of follow up, compared to 10.4% (58/562) of those receiving an identical placebo. (more) https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-06-diabetes-medication-positive-sars-cov-covid.html

Study finds metformin reduces COVID-19 viral load, viral rebound May 2, 2024 A team of University of Minnesota researchers found that metformin, a drug commonly used to treat diabetes, can decrease the amount of COVID-19 virus in the body and lower the chances of the virus coming back strongly after initial treatment. The study was published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. ... "The results of the study are important because COVID-19 continues to cause illness, both during acute infection and for months after infection," said Carolyn Bramante, MD, principal investigator and an assistant professor at the U of M Medical School. She is also an internist and pediatrician with M Health Fairview. ... In this phase 3 randomized clinical trial, the researchers tested metformin against a placebo in 1,323 adults infected with COVID-19. The group treated with metformin had a viral load that was about four times lower than the placebo at day 10. The metformin group also had less viral rebound than the placebo group. (more) https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-05-metformin-covid-viral-rebound.html

From the profile info on his YT channel: "Welcome to my world of Shamanism and entrepreneurship in Thailand! 🌏 Join me on an inspiring journey as I navigate the challenges and triumphs of being an expat entrepreneur and a dedicated plant medicines Shaman, sharing authentic, open, and vulnerable insights into my entrepreneurial journey, personal growth, and the pursuit of excellence ❤️Not only have I embraced Thailand as my new home but also achieved remarkable milestones, including the launch of two thriving businesses and investments in property within just four months." From watching the above linked video, one might suspect that he's been dabbling in a bit too much of his "plant medicines"... 🙂

That was the above referenced Thai-PAN organization.. And yes, they found that most of the Thailand-based organic certifications had little meaning-value... But, the international and USDA organic certifications fared much better. Their testing also found that produce labeled here as hydroponic also continued to have pesticide residues, despite the public perception/expectation that it wouldn't.

Pesticide use in Thailand: Current situation, health risks, and gaps in research and policy Published online 2020 Aug 27 ... Thailand continues to increase its annual import of pesticides. Commonly imported insecticide classes included organophosphate (OP; e.g., chlorpyrifos), carbamate (e.g., fenobucarb, methomyl), and pyrethroid (e.g., cypermethrin, deltamethrin). The most commonly imported herbicides were paraquat, glyphosate, 2,4-D, ametryn, and atrazine. The most commonly imported fungicides were dithiocarbamate, mancozeb, carbendazim, and captan (Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, 2020). The import trends of these 3 major types of pesticides from 2008–2019, as well as the total value of these imports are shown in Figure 1. ... Despite Thai governmental legislation to control pesticide use, many farmers continue to use banned pesticides, apply higher concentrations than recommended, and do not use adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) (Rivera et al. 2016). Their decisions regarding pesticide use are often based on information given by retailers, other farmers, agricultural extension service agents and even the pesticide companies themselves (Tawatsin et al. 2015). Due to lack of knowledge, availability and affordability or discomfort in the equatorial climate, studies have shown that few farmers use proper PPE when applying pesticides (Kongtip et al. 2018; 2019). ... More widespread and routine testing of agricultural food products is also needed. Ideally, this would be conducted by government bodies, but currently that function falls between the Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, neither of which has a robust system in place for testing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8291370/

NGO taking the government to court over food pesticides 26 November 2017 More than 60 per cent of five popular vegetables sold in local markets contain excessive levels of harmful chemical residue, according to a testing by the Thailand Pesticide Alert Network (Thai-PAN), a non-governmental organisation working on food safety. About 64 per cent of khana (Chinese kale), tua fak yao (long beans), prik daeng (red chili), bai kaprao (basil leaves) and kalam pree (cabbage) samples contained chemical residue above maximum residue levels (MRL) limit, said Thai-PAN coordinator Prokchol Ousap at a press conference on Friday. ... Tests also found herbicide residue in as much as 55 per cent of the 76 vegetable and fruit samples, she said. Herbicides detected included paraquat, which was detected in 38 samples, glyphosate in six and atrazine in four (multiple substances were found contaminating some samples). https://thethaiger.com/news/ngo-taking-government-court-food-pesticides

Almost all tangerines, oranges in Thai supermarkets unsafe, survey shows FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2022 A recent survey conducted by two consumer groups and a magazine learned that most citrus fruits and orange juices on supermarket shelves have unsafe levels of pesticide residue. The survey was conducted by the Thailand Consumer Council, the Thailand Pesticide Alert Network (Thai-PAN) and the Smart Buy magazine from January 3 to 30. The group collected samples of 60 tangerines and oranges and 10 types of orange juice from wholesale markets, department stores, convenience stores and online stores. (more) https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013288

"According to him, organophosphate and carbamates insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and pesticides send some 5,000 people on average to hospitals each year. Their treatment costs about Bt22 million annually." "From October 1 last year to July this year, such dangerous farm chemicals directly harmed the health of at least 4,000 people, 520 of whom died. “When we look into the details, Health Zone 1 has had the highest number of such cases,” Sakchai said."

There is/was a private group here in Thailand called the Thailand Pesticide Action Network (Thai-PAN) that used to do semi-regular independent pesticide testing on various fruits and vegetables sold here, both domestically produced and imported. Their testing was done by an independent lab in the UK. The results were not good, though certain types of fruits and veggies had consistently higher levels of pesticide residues, while other types were much less problematic. https://thaipan-org.translate.goog/data/2333?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en Comparing toxic residues in fruits and vegetables, imported salads and those produced domestically, they are equally poor. Posted on January 19, 2021 last month Thai Pan recently published the results of a large-scale surveillance of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables. A total of 509 samples of fruits and vegetables were randomly examined from all over the country. ... All samples were sent for testing at a laboratory in the United Kingdom. which can measure results covering insecticides and fungi (excluding herbicides) of more than 500 types and certified to international standards (ISO17025). The results showed that pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables exceeded the standard by 58.7%. ... Classified according to the source of vegetables and fruits, it was found that Imported and domestically produced fruits and vegetables are equally at risk. Residues exceeding standards were found in 54.01% of fruits and vegetables produced within the country, out of a total of 274 samples of vegetables sent for inspection. Residues exceeding standards were found in 56.1% of fruits and vegetables imported from abroad, out of the number of samples known to be imported." Also (links require Google Translate in your browser): https://thaipan-org.translate.goog/action/2302?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en https://thaipan-org.translate.goog/highlights/2283?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en https://thaipan-org.translate.goog/action/1107?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en "Thaipan also found that the most persistent pesticide residues are The fungicide carbendazim has been banned for use in the United States for more than a decade. Because it affects the reproductive system But residues were found in 57 samples of fruits and vegetables, followed by cypermethrin. Imidacchlorfrid Azoxystrobin and chlorpyrifos, a toxic substance that affects children's brain development, were found in 54, 41, 39, and 38 samples, respectively. In addition, there were 8 samples of toxic pesticides that have been discontinued, such as methamidophos, and 9 samples of toxic substances that have not yet been allowed to be registered, such as carbofuran. 10 examples and substances which are not on the list of hazardous substances 2013, up to 9 types such as Boscalid, Ethirimol, Fenhexamid, Fluxapyroxad, Isopyrazam, Metrafenone, Proquinazid, Pyrimethanil, Quinoxyfen, all of these 3 groups of substances are illegal and It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to allow its use. and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that leaves residue"

The thread here, from top to bottom, is about the UK and its experience with the AZ vaccine... Study shows risk of blood clots is far greater from coronavirus than the vaccine A study by the University of Oxford shows that having Covid-19 puts you at a much higher risk of developing dangerous blood clots than the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines. ... The study, based on the health records of 29.1 million people in England, suggests while there is a slightly increased risk of developing low platelet levels and blood clots in the veins after a first dose of AstraZeneca, being infected with the virus raises this risk much more, and for longer. The researchers estimate that for every 10 million people who are vaccinated with AstraZeneca, there are 66 extra cases of blood clots in the veins and seven extra cases of a rare type of blood clot in the brain. Infection with Covid-19 is estimated to cause 12,614 extra cases of blood clots in the veins and 20 cases of rare blood clots in the brain. https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health/astrazeneca-covid-vaccine Risk of thrombocytopenia and thromboembolism after covid-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 positive testing: self-controlled case series study BMJ 2021; 374 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n1931 (Published 27 August 2021) Conclusion Increased risks of haematological and vascular events that led to hospital admission or death were observed for short time intervals after first doses of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and BNT162b2 mRNA vaccines. The risks of most of these events were substantially higher and more prolonged after SARS-CoV-2 infection than after vaccination in the same population. https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n1931 But don't expect some of the anti-vax leaning UK news reports to acknowledge that fact.

Your math and stats are far off. The UK had a population of about 67 million in 2020, and suffered 230,000+ COVID deaths cumulatively. That works out to a cumulative death rate of 0.34% of the population. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/articles/overviewoftheukpopulation/2020 https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/ If you're trying to talk about an overall COVID case fatality rate for the UK (deaths out of total cases), that would be just under 1% based on the above stats. But that's the cumulative CFR for the entire pandemic in the UK. The real time rates would have been a whole lot higher back in 2021 vs being a whole lot lower later in 2023 and 2024.

Except when you start trying to compare the much lesser COVID death rates of today with the crisis that was occurring as the vaccines rolled out in late 2020 and early 2021.

Not back in 2021 (technically started Dec. 2020) when the UK began using the AZ vaccine, and COVID deaths were piling up almost faster than the government could count them. UK to roll out Astra/Oxford COVID vaccine after world-first approval By Reuters, December 30, 2020 LONDON, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Britain on Wednesday became the first country to approve the coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca (AZN.L), opens new tab, hoping that rapid action will help it stem a record surge of infections driven by a highly contagious form of the virus. ... INFECTIONS SOAR Britain has already registered over 70,000 deaths from COVID-19. On Tuesday it reported a record one-day jump of 53,135 new coronavirus infections, and it fears hospitals will soon become overstretched in their peak winter months. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/uk-roll-out-astraoxford-covid-vaccine-after-world-first-approval-2020-12-30/ AND then later "Work by the UK Health Security Agency and the University of Cambridge Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit suggests that roughly 127,500 deaths were prevented by the Covid vaccination programme in England, up to 24 September 2021." https://fullfact.org/health/covid-vaccines-saved-many-lives/

One other fact that was noted in the OP article deserves attention, especially for newcomers to the topic. 1. The rare blood clots being discussed above also can and do occur in the absence of the AZ and any similar vaccine, due to a wide range of medical conditions, including the COVID disease itself. As AZ is quoted saying in the article: “Further, TTS can also occur in the absence of the AZ vaccine (or any vaccine). Causation in any individual case will be a matter for expert evidence,” it added. There are some pretty sophisticated blood tests that can be done to help narrow down the likely cause of these kinds of clots, whether vaccine related or not. But just experiencing blood clots after a vaccination doesn't automatically mean the vaccination was the cause.

Yes, the WHO acknowledged the rare potential blood clotting side effect some three years ago back in 2021, as did the various other countries using the AZ vaccine after their safety monitoring detected the problem -- so rare that it hadn't surfaced in the AZ's clinic trials.... a very very small risk that in some cases could be fatal. Nothing new for anyone who's been modestly paying attention. And that's in part what led to the Pfizer and Moderna COVID mRNA vaccines becoming the primary ones in the world, and the AZ vaccine being not approved (U.S.A.) or phased out (U.K., Australia etc.) in various countries around the world. But people need to keep these things in context. There were about 50 million AZ doses given in the UK, and thus far there have been somewhere between 60 and 80 reported fatalities. So if you use the higher number, that equates to one side effects fatality per 625,000 AZ vaccine doses there for a vaccine that's no longer even used in the UK. The risk was extremely small. Then balance against the following benefits: Oxford vaccine saved most lives in its first year of rollout "As a result of this commitment to ensuring global and equitable access, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine saved 6.3 million lives in the first year of the global vaccine rollout – the most out of all the vaccines in circulation at the time." https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2022-07-15-oxford-vaccine-saved-most-lives-its-first-year-rollout And for COVID vaccines in general in the UK: Covid vaccines saved more than 400,000 lives in England and Scotland, WHO says The study is the most comprehensive to date in showing how effective Covid vaccines have been, scientists say https://inews.co.uk/news/science/covid-vaccines-saved-lives-england-scotland-who-2862550 The bottom line is, the AZ vaccine saved vastly more lives that it lost thru the rare blood clotting side effect. And people's risks of health problems or fatality back then were far higher from COVID than from the AZ vaccine. The UK's death toll from COVID, even after the vaccines, ended up being more than 230,000 people lost due to COVID illness. The AZ vaccine side effects pale in comparison.

Bingo!!!

AstraZeneca admits its Covid vaccine can cause rare side effect in court documents for first time AstraZeneca has admitted for the first time in court documents that its Covid vaccine can cause a rare side effect, in an apparent about-turn that could pave the way for a multi-million pound legal payout. The pharmaceutical giant is being sued in a class action over claims that its vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, caused death and serious injury in dozens of cases. ... AstraZeneca is contesting the claims but has accepted, in a legal document submitted to the High Court in February, that its Covid vaccine “can, in very rare cases, cause TTS”. TTS – which stands for Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome – causes people to have blood clots and a low blood platelet count. Fifty-one cases have been lodged in the High Court, with victims and grieving relatives seeking damages estimated to be worth up to £100 million. ... The company is pointing out that product information relating to the vaccine was updated in April 2021, with the approval of the UK regulator, to include “the possibility that the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine is capable, in very rare cases, of being a trigger for” TTS. (more) From The Telegraph, via https://news.yahoo.com/astrazeneca-admits-first-time-covid-180000780.html Note: the AZ vaccine was widely used in the UK during 2021 with up to 50 million doses given, but later phased out in the UK and elsewhere as reports surfaced about the very rare blood clotting and because the mRNA COVID vaccines proved more effective. The UK government has indemnified AstraZeneca against any legal actions associated with the vaccine. Still, health authorities long maintained that the COVID disease itself carried a higher risk of blood clotting, and the vaccine's benefits in reducing COVID illness and deaths outweighed its risks. AstraZeneca Covid vaccine: safety and side effects Updated 25 January 2023 "In April 2021, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirmed a possible link between the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine and these rare blood clots, but emphasised that the benefits of the vaccine continued to outweigh the risks for the vast majority of people." ... Study shows risk of blood clots is far greater from coronavirus than the vaccine A study by the University of Oxford shows that having Covid-19 puts you at a much higher risk of developing dangerous blood clots than the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines. ... The study, based on the health records of 29.1 million people in England, suggests while there is a slightly increased risk of developing low platelet levels and blood clots in the veins after a first dose of AstraZeneca, being infected with the virus raises this risk much more, and for longer. The researchers estimate that for every 10 million people who are vaccinated with AstraZeneca, there are 66 extra cases of blood clots in the veins and seven extra cases of a rare type of blood clot in the brain. Infection with Covid-19 is estimated to cause 12,614 extra cases of blood clots in the veins and 20 cases of rare blood clots in the brain. https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health/astrazeneca-covid-vaccine

Wonder if we'll see the following news in tomorrow's World News updates here: Court says state health-care plans can’t exclude gender-affirming surgery A federal appellate court in Richmond became the first in the country to rule that state health-care plans must pay for gender-affirming surgeries, a major win for transgender rights amid a nationwide wave of anti-trans activism and legislation. The decision came from a set of cases out of North Carolina and West Virginia, where state officials argued that their policies were based on cost concerns rather than bias. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit rejected that argument, saying the plans were discriminating against trans people in need of treatment. (more) --Washington Post https://archive.ph/WvfhM

Hey, it's only from the new owner of the forum you're currently posting on.... 🙂 ASEANNOW, Thailand’s largest English language forum and a major English language news publisher, has been acquired by The Thaiger from Choice Group Asia Co., Ltd. https://aseannow.com/topic/1325398-aseannow-joins-the-thaiger-in-strategic-acquisition-to-expand-digital-reach-in-thailand/

"Suchanun, a 25 year old single mother of a five year old, had spoken to reporters the previous day to refute the accusations against her. Arrested on July 30, she was later released on bail. She vehemently denied operating online gambling sites and claimed she was compelled by a PCT4 officer to confess to a crime she did not perpetrate. She further alleged that she was coerced into implicating Phakphum Phitsamai, the deputy chief investigator of Provincial Police Region 4 and a close aide to Big Joke, in the case. Media outlets have circulated photos and a video of her singing karaoke with Big Joke, and posing with three others. Yet, Suchanun denies having any personal acquaintance with Big Joke." https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thai-police-demand-transparent-probe-into-online-gambling-allegations

COVID booster linked to 25% lower odds of long COVID A new cross-sectional study published in Vaccine of US adults demonstrates that people who received the COVID-19 booster vaccine had 25% lower odds of having long COVID than their unvaccinated counterparts. ... People receiving the COVID-19 booster vaccine had significantly lower adjusted odds of long COVID (OR 0.75, 95 % confidence interval 0.61 to 0.93) compared to unvaccinated people. "Our findings suggest that ensuring individuals are up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations could be an effective public health strategy for reducing the prevalence of long-COVID," the authors concluded. (more) https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covid-booster-linked-25-lower-odds-long-covid Highlights • The COVID-19 booster vaccine was associated with a reduced likelihood of experiencing long-COVID among U.S. adults. • Sociodemographics such as age, sex, and family poverty level were independent predictors of long-COVID. • Having a history of certain chronic conditions such as obesity or arthritis was linked to greater odds of long-COVID. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264410X24005097

Sorry, I didn't mean to convey that "I" don't think people are entitled to know the sources of their "news". I absolutely do. I meant to convey that those conveying the AI stuff here don't seem to believe that we are entitled to know the original source of the "news" before it was fed into the sausage maker.

If I recall right, there were reports of Joke and the woman behind the alleged illegal gambling operation being caught on video singing karaoke together at some party... And I thought, from reading various past Thai news reports, some claims that the investigating police had found financial ties between the Joke group and the gambling group. But at this point, hard to know what is true and what is political maneuvering and infighting. All in all, though, I stick to my long held view that people don't get to the top of the RTP hierarchy in Thailand without having gotten messy along the way. Some of what previously has been alleged: AND https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thai-police-demand-transparent-probe-into-online-gambling-allegations

Right now, for reports posted here, you're not ENTITLED to know where the news comes from or who produced it at its original source.