Anutin firestorm: Wearing face masks is "being a responsible member of society", says leading doctor

[anto]

9 hours ago, Liverpudlian said:

After 15 years i am on the threshold of leaving this pathetic country WHY ? go figure.

Whats keeping you .?

[anto]

1 hour ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

It was reported before Thais used it but apparently it can help those people with serious symptoms (was already reported as helpful in China) - probably something to do with keeping viral count lower to help reduce the seriousness for the more seriously sick... or something like that. 

 

Experts i heard of said it will take at least a year to get an anti virus ,so that Thai report of a cure seemed unlikely to me .

[rabas]

14 minutes ago, anto said:

Experts i heard of said it will take at least a year to get an anti virus ,so that Thai report of a cure seemed unlikely to me .

These are two separate issues.

 

1. Development of a vaccine to protect people from getting nCov2019. This will likely take at least a year and mass manufacturing may be beyond that.

 

2. Using mixtures of currently available antiviral drugs, notably HIV drugs and flu drugs. This is today but purely experimental and not yet a general 'cure'. Similar trials were made during the SARS epidemic. 

 

The Thai sucessfully treated the first seriously ill patient with a mixture of 2 HIV meds and Tamiful.  The Chinese later on Feb 5 announced similar results but only in vitro, meaning in a glass beaker, not a live patient. They used 1 HIV + a Russian anti-viral similar in use to Tamiflu.

Edited February 8, 2020 by rabas

[geriatrickid]

The doctor has indeed clarified the Minister's statement. "those who are feeling sick, who have been with sick people or who have been in an infected area should wear masks. 

In this sense wearing masks is being a responsible member of society"

 

I interpret this to mean that they are working on the basis that more people are infected  than has been declared. Many more. It is very unusual to treat an entire population as "carrier risk" when there are only 25  reported cases. It makes no sense otherwise. Just my opinion since  we do not see this  directive in countries with other low caseloads.

[bkkcanuck8]

17 minutes ago, anto said:

Experts i heard of said it will take at least a year to get an anti virus ,so that Thai report of a cure seemed unlikely to me .

It is a long time for confirmed vaccines etc. to go through the process of (double blind tests, review, safety and approval), but it could be available sooner for compassionate use for emergencies (i.e. it seems like it works but is not proven that it actually works).

[RJRS1301]

So a "Thai Expert" knows more than the WHO Infectious Diseases experts, the London School of Tropical Medicine experts, the CDC. 

So proud of the local knowledge, makes one feel that really are in control.

Do they read any acknowledged reports?

I have not seen one remark about hand hygiene, wiping and washing of surfaces, rails, door handles, plane seatbacks, headrests. Yes airlines are suposed to do this between flights, but I have witnessed how thye "clean" the cabins.

 

Edited February 8, 2020 by RJRS1301

[RJRS1301]

Have they thought about the safe disposal of potential virus carrying masks?

Can they be deposited in contamination bins at hospitals and pharmacies?

Or will they become just part of landfill, or into drains or road side dumps? 

 

Edited February 8, 2020 by RJRS1301

[rabas]

1 hour ago, RJRS1301 said:

Have they thought about the safe disposal of potential virus carrying masks?

Can they be deposited in contamination bins at hospitals and pharmacies?

Or will they become just part of landfill, or into drains or road side dumps?

Flu and corona viruses do not live forever outside living organisms. They cannot infect a landfill or trash can nor multiply outside the body. A bacteria can infect trash, dirty water, etc.

 

Biggest worry would be using someone else's used mask, but that just cleans up the gene pool.

[martin3]

Jomtien last night,took a 15 minute walk.

Saw at minimum 300 or so people,Thai,s,tourists,observed 5 people that wore masks.

Went to a couple of food places(markets)no workers using masks.

So if this guy wants to throw out all the Farang tourists who do not wear masks that will only leave the Indians left to fill the void and replenish the billions in lost revenue!

[ParkerN]

6 hours ago, Creasy said:

The thought the thais found a cure for corona with a cocktail of hiv drugs

Yeah, they're pretty good t tha.

 

Previously, there's been Ebola, Dengue and AIDS. Found cures for all of them they have. Nobody else takes any notice of Thai self-publicity (normally bogus), I can't see any good reason why I should...

[spidermike007]

But those who are feeling sick, who have been with sick people or who have been in an infected area should wear masks. In this sense wearing masks is being a responsible member of society, he said, in comments reported by Bangkok Biz News. 

 

Pretty lame defense. It certainly does not exonerate the incredibly obnoxious, ignorant, unqualified, and racist fool Anutin. Quite the contrary. They, and the WHO are basically saying, if you are feeling well, and you have not been around people who are infected with the virus, a mask is not necessary, nor will it help. What will help, and what Anutin does not know (because he does not come from a medical background, and was appointed entirely based on his family connections) is that washing your hands thoroughly, with a surgical scrub, ten times a day is the best prevention possible, along with trying to avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes while out in public. 

 

He has not apologized to the foreign tourist and ex-pat community. An apology should be demanded of him. He said he was sorry for losing it. Not sorry for being racist and ranting against people who look different than he does. At this time, with the tourism market decimated even prior to corona, men like this cannot, and should not be tolerated by a nation that gets up to 22% of it's GDP from tourism. 

 

But, having said all of that, the army is very tolerant of super low quality, grossly under qualified, bottom of the barrel ministers. 

 

[Borzandy]

·       Anutin ? leading doctor, I would like to see his diplomas

[tso310]

Just watched Deputy Dawg Prawit arriving at the Korat hospital where most of the wounded are. No face mask !

[30la]

15 hours ago, rooster59 said:

A leading Thai doctor responsible for stopping the spread of disease commented in the wake of health minister Anutin Charnvirakul's rant against a group of foreigners who did not accept his offer of face masks.

The bully Anutin had his moment of "glory", do not make it appear more in public, the image of Thailand has already suffered too much!

[30la]

12 minutes ago, tso310 said:

Just watched Deputy Dawg Prawit arriving at the Korat hospital where most of the wounded are. No face mask !

Interesting to know how Anutin takes it ....

[mickey rat]

16 hours ago, thisisrascal said:

I took a walk in Chatuchak Park earlier this evening. I wore a mask because of the pollution but there was maybe no more than 10 other people wearing a mask. 

Yes mask should be required for all responsible members of society as protection against the totaly preventable toxic air pollution that the Thai government refuses to acknowledge! 

[lemonjelly]

Farang didn’t want unpackaged face masks being given away by a stranger who wasn’t wearing surgical gloves. I wouldn’t want to wear them either, it’s a totally gross idea.

[Cake Monster]

16 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

I don't really care if a doctor says wearing a mask is a good idea or isn't a good idea. There is no excuse whatsoever for a senior member of any responsible government to throw such a foul mouthed tirade of abuse against foreigners in general, as a single individual declined to take a mask from him, in what was obviously nothing more than a cheap publicity stunt, given the standard of mask they were distributing. If a minister in the UK came out with such a statement about people from any country, or area, including use of the F word in their description, how long do you think he would stay in his job?

I just hope that one day this Anutin guy has to make a trip abroad to a "F@@@&&g Farang Country "

I also hope that he will not receive an entry Visa based on his Extremist Racial beliefs.

What a loss of " Face " for this pathetic man that would be.

 

[rwill]

15 hours ago, Forza2002 said:

How can the Govt. keep saying they have things under control?

How can the government saying wearing cheap masks will keep things under control?

[Krataiboy]

Anutin firestorm: Wearing face masks is "being a responsible member of society", says leading doctor

 

Responsible members of society make sure their brain is in gear before opening their mouth.

Edited February 9, 2020 by Krataiboy

[Lee4Life]

16 hours ago, kensawadee said:

SAME, SAME,  at a large market about 30 minutes south of Pattaya (Ban Chak Ngaeo). Hundreds of Thais and only a couple masks. This guy (Health minister Anutin) has a run-away mouth in motion and a brain that is still in 'Neutral'.

Same here in Nong Khai, most of people wearing the masks are either company employees such as the Makro staff, who are likely doing it because the company mandates it, or foreigners. When people at the local markets see our family show up all masked up they look at us like we are aliens.

[TKDfella]

I haven't long been back from shopping at Tesco Lotus Supermarket in Udorn. Lots of people and I didn't see anyone wearing a mask except for the some of the sellers in the shops and the service people. I didn't wear one either...should I now press my self destruct button to please the Thai government?

Edited February 9, 2020 by TKDfella

[Burma Bill]

Here in the rural towns and villages of Issan, there are many, many "irresponsible" members of Thai Society!! This doctor and Anutin want to come and see for themselves. 

[Russell17au]

A responsible member of society would not try to hand a foreigner an unpackage face mask with his dirty bare hands and then expect some brain dead doctor to stick up for him and save his face but what could you expect from a government like this.

 

[URMySunshine]

NO COMMENT.

 

[DannyCarlton]

17 hours ago, Admiral Hornblower said:

There is so much conflicting advice regarding the wearing of face masks and the type of mask, if worn. This is the advice of the WHO:-

No conflicting advice. Real experts agree that wearing a mask is pointless if you aren't sick. Particularly the type of mask that ai Anutin was handing out.

[HHTel]

17 hours ago, rooster59 said:

But those who are feeling sick, who have been with sick people or who have been in an infected area should wear masks. 

 

In this sense wearing masks is being a responsible member of society, he said, in comments reported by Bangkok Biz News. 

His first statement above is okay, but then he goes and spoils himself with the second sentence.

'A Thai doctor'!  Wouldn't take much notice.

[DannyCarlton]

45 minutes ago, TKDfella said:

I haven't long been back from shopping at Tesco Lotus Supermarket in Udorn. Lots of people and I didn't see anyone wearing a mask except for the some of the sellers in the shops and the service people. I didn't wear one either...should I now press my self destruct button to please the Thai government?

Ai Anutin's advice is to throw yourself out of Thailand. Off you go....

[DannyCarlton]

16 hours ago, timendres said:

I do not want to sound like I am defending Anutin. I am not.

 

However, many people on TVF have posted comments to the effect that "if I am not sick, I do not need to wear a mask". The problem is that this virus is infectious for some number of days before a person displays any symptoms. With that in mind, it does make sense to wear a mask based on the fact that you may actually be infected, and infectious, and not know it. It is not about protecting yourself from the virus, but limiting the possible spread of it.

No, if you are not showing symptoms you won't be coughing and sneezing. If you contaminate others it will likely be by touching your mouth, nose, eyes then touching objects such as door knobs and handrails. Hand hygene is far, far more important than wearing a mask.

[DannyCarlton]

16 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

It sounds like the wearing of masks is more of a BKK thing right now compared to various outlying cities... Which may be related to the fact that there may be a somewhat higher level of average education among the Thais overall in BKK, and certainly likely potential exposure to a whole lot more Chinese tourists than you'd find in various out of the way Thai cities.

 

Or could be due to the fact that I always see more people wearing masks in Bangkok. Hisos worried about air pollution, catching anything from LoSos and, above all, keeping their faces white.