Majority of people want facts on new coronavirus, removal of fake news: poll

By THE NATION

 

 

More than three-fourths of Thai people were interested in measures to protect them from the new coronavirus, according to a Bangkok Poll.

 

 

The poll said 76.8 per cent sought protection, 48.9 per cent were interested in medical treatment and control of the virus and 43.2 per cent were interested in knowing the number of infected persons in Thailand.

 

The poll was organised by Bangkok University’s Research Centre, and surveyed 1,199 Thai people.

 

Some 42 per cent told researchers that they were moderately concerned, while 37.4 and 20.6 per cent told researchers that their concerns/fears were in the “middle” and “low/lowest levels”, respectively.

 

Regarding precautions they took, more than 70 per cent said they wore medical masks when they were in public spaces, while the others said they monitored news and were careful about going to crowded places.

 

Asked what measures they would like the government to take, 66.7 per cent advised them to tell people the facts of the virus, delete fake news and allow medical personnel to give people relevant information.

 

Some 53 per cent said the government should advise people on the proper procedure to prevent themselves from the virus.

 

Lastly, the poll informed that most people are quite confident in doctors’ skills to deal with this situation, while for 26.5 per cent it was in the “middle” level and 5.5. per cent had “low/lowest” level of confidence in them.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30381857

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-02-09

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18 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Asked what measures they would like the government to take, 66.7 per cent advised them to tell people the facts of the virus, delete fake news and allow medical personnel to give people relevant information.

 

Some 53 per cent said the government should advise people on the proper procedure to prevent themselves from the virus.

 

Well you won’t get the truth from this ‘government’ that is a fact.  

Al thai propaganda relating to the virus is made in china.

A post advocating an untested treatment has been reported and removed.  

 

55 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The poll was organised by Bangkok University’s Research Centre, and surveyed 1,199 Thai people.

To be more precise, we will write that more than 75% of 1199 people ...

Once again a survey done in Bangkok, where the corona is most likely to be caught ...

 

I remain convinced that if this survey had been carried out in Nan or in Pat(t)ani .. the result would be radically different ...

45 minutes ago, lujanit said:

 

Well you won’t get the truth from this ‘government’ that is a fact.  

Don't underestimate the Thai public health system.  

 

Thailand seems to be well prepared for an outbreak should it occur.  It is ranked by Johns Hopkins University as the best prepared Asian country in the event of an outbreak, and sixth out of 165 countries globally.  It also ranked second in having a robust health system capable of treating the sick and protecting healthcare workers, and was ranked third in the prevention of the emergence or release of pathogens.

 

So, even though Thailand may be the most likely country outside of China for an outbreak, it also seems to be one of the best prepared. 

I think most of them want to know where the infected areas are?

7 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Don't underestimate the Thai public health system.  

 

Thailand seems to be well prepared for an outbreak should it occur.  It is ranked by Johns Hopkins University as the best prepared Asian country in the event of an outbreak, and sixth out of 165 countries globally.  It also ranked second in having a robust health system capable of treating the sick and protecting healthcare workers, and was ranked third in the prevention of the emergence or release of pathogens.

 

So, even though Thailand may be the most likely country outside of China for an outbreak, it also seems to be one of the best prepared. 

I wouldn't bet on that. In case of private hospitals yes. In case of government hospitals ........

It would be interesting to know how data are collected. Assuming that the creation of such kind of world wide statistics costs millions $ I would say that there are strong limitations as a University is not a multi billion $ cooperation. 

I am not saying that the German health system is the best. But e.g. the Robert Koch Institute should be one of the top Institutions for SARS and now on this one.

Thailand ways ahead of Germany ..............

13 minutes ago, Haecksler said:

I wouldn't bet on that. In case of private hospitals yes. In case of government hospitals ........

It would be interesting to know how data are collected. Assuming that the creation of such kind of world wide statistics costs millions $ I would say that there are strong limitations as a University is not a multi billion $ cooperation. 

I am not saying that the German health system is the best. But e.g. the Robert Koch Institute should be one of the top Institutions for SARS and now on this one.

Thailand ways ahead of Germany ..............

If you check the details of where the data was taken for the ranking it says it was from open source information provided by the thai government. 

7 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

If you check the details of where the data was taken for the ranking it says it was from open source information provided by the thai government. 

HHHHHHmmmmm........

Anyway if really the sh....t hits the fan every health system will be overloaded. I don't bashing on the Thai health system which has allegedly improved over the last 15 years.

But place 6 on the mentioned list makes me a bit wondering.

Yeah, facts like the size of the diagnostics backlog the Ministry of Public Health has stopped publishing. 

But the facts which coming out of the Thai Govt. are not clear and obvious.

A incomplete information is not determined as fake news how ever an incomplete information lead to wrong assumptions.

E.g. the list is ..https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/eng/file/situation/situation-no34-060263.pdf. contain information which IMO are not complete.

E.g. what are the criteria of being PUI? What are the conditions of the hospitalized patience?  How many cases are tested every day? Any details of the hospitalized patience. etc. etc.

It seems that the government just publish the very necessary in order to keep the people calm.

The only thing we can do is read between the lines.

If a Health Minister react how he react and tells us we do our best it does not convince me.

If the BMA now prepare for accommodate infected people it' appreciated but it also show that something going on in the back ground.

Again prepare for the worst hope for the best.

 

 

 

14 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Yeah, facts like the size of the diagnostics backlog the Ministry of Public Health has stopped publishing. 

During my backpacking days I quickly learned not to trust anybody who said "trust me".

Give me a break.

 

How on earth anyone expect a handful of bureaucrats in the Ministry of Truth to decide what is or isn't kosher from the avalanche of corona virus reports pouring in from every corner of the globe?

 

Such a task makes the labours of Hercules sound like child's play.

 

The touching faith of the so many Thai people in their rulers is a naive triumph of optimism over reality.

2 hours ago, Haecksler said:

I wouldn't bet on that. In case of private hospitals yes. In case of government hospitals ........

It would be interesting to know how data are collected. Assuming that the creation of such kind of world wide statistics costs millions $ I would say that there are strong limitations as a University is not a multi billion $ cooperation. 

I am not saying that the German health system is the best. But e.g. the Robert Koch Institute should be one of the top Institutions for SARS and now on this one.

Thailand ways ahead of Germany ..............

Your second paragraph is a little confusing so I'm not sure what point you are trying to make, but regarding your first remark, my opinion differs, not only because of the Johns Hopkins' rankings but from my own interaction with public hospitals in Thailand.

 

Granted, I have had no serious illnesses or injuries while here in the Kingdom and only a few cases of minor complaints requiring a visit, but I found their organizational and logistical capabilities to be on par with, and even better in certain respects than American hospitals.  The physicians I came in contact with were all very well educated and extremely well-practiced diagnosticians, as well as being quite compassionate and personally attentive to their patients. 

 

Bottom line, if an outbreak were to occur here, I would feel confident the public healthcare system here would handle it as well as any other country, and better than most.

Edited February 9, 20206 yr by WaveHunter

3 hours ago, Haecksler said:

I wouldn't bet on that. In case of private hospitals yes. In case of government hospitals

Government hospitals are already way over crowded in case of outbreak where do they put the patients, on the floor, outside in the parking lot? ????

Edited February 9, 20206 yr by mickey rat

You want FACTS, Thai people? Well, here is one fact: Those crappy masks depicted above and so generously distributed for free by your government help zip, zilch, nada. They certainly won't prevent you from CATCHING the virus; and they are only very, very moderately effective in preventing you from SPREADING the virus (in case you are infected).

 

And you detest FAKE NEWS, Thai people? Well, one fake news item would be the government (including your highly incompetent minister of public health) claiming that these crappy masks indeed will keep you safe and that you, therefore, should wear them at all times to show "solidarity".

 

And you want another fake news item, just for good measure, Thai people? NOTHING is "100% under control", as your government has repeatedly boasted. Nor does your government "do everything that can be done". For example: Why are planeloads of Chinese tourists still being permitted to enter the country? And why do screening procedures at the airports remain so woefully inadequate?

 

Does the truth hurt, Thai people? Oh, I am sooo sorry. Sometimes it takes a bit of pain to finally wake up. 

Edited February 9, 20206 yr by Misterwhisper

12 minutes ago, mickey rat said:

Government hospitals are already way over crowded in case of outbreak where do they put the patients, on the floor, outside in the parking lot? ????

Check out social media videos trickling out of China right now and you'll see that is exactly where they have been put. 

 

Even worse are the temporary hospitals: 

Workers prepare the Wuhan International Conference and Exhibition Center to serve as a temporary hospital for new coronavirus patients in Wuhan, China, on Feb. 4

 

Would you want to find yourself in one of these?  It sure does not look like a place where you will receive proper ICU care or be isolated from other infected patients to me.

31 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

You want FACTS, Thai people? Well, here is one fact: Those crappy masks depicted above and so generously distributed for free by your government help zip, zilch, nada. They certainly won't prevent you from CATCHING the virus; and they are only very, very moderately effective in preventing you from SPREADING the virus (in case you are infected).

 

And you detest FAKE NEWS, Thai people? Well, one fake news item would be the government (including your highly incompetent minister of public health) claiming that these crappy masks indeed will keep you safe and that you, therefore, should wear them at all times to show "solidarity".

 

And you want another fake news item, just for good measure, Thai people? NOTHING is "100% under control", as your government has repeatedly boasted. Nor does your government "do everything that can be done". For example: Why are planeloads of Chinese tourists still being permitted to enter the country? And why do screening procedures at the airports remain so woefully inadequate?

 

Does the truth hurt, Thai people? Oh, I am sooo sorry. Sometimes it takes a bit of pain to finally wake up. 

Are you practicing to be some sort of hokey sensationalist commentator or something LOL?  Though I agree with some of what you say, "Don't give up your day job" as they say.  Your delivery is a overly melodramatic and sort of embarrassing to read.  Just saying...

 

And BTW, those "crappy masks" as you put it, that are being distributed for free (to many people who can't afford to be price-gouged right now) actually do help significantly! 

 

A N95 mask is not going to protect you much better than one of these because the main value of wearing a mask is not to filter the virus droplets (unless you are a medical worker or someone in prolonged close proximity with those infected) but simply to help you avoid hand-to-face contamination, and in that regard they are very helpful and effective.

 

What's more, you really should reconsider your view of the Thai public health system.  Your assessment is more subjective than objective IMHO.  

 

Thailand seems to be well prepared for an outbreak should it occur.  It is ranked by Johns Hopkins University as the best prepared Asian country in the event of an outbreak, and sixth out of 165 countries globally.  It also ranked second in having a robust health system capable of treating the sick and protecting healthcare workers, and was ranked third in the prevention of the emergence or release of pathogens.

 

Even though Thailand may be the most likely country outside of China for an outbreak, it also seems to be one of the best prepared. 

Edited February 9, 20206 yr by WaveHunter

The Thai people will not get the truth/facts from the Prayut Government.

 

I have several close Thai friends who are health care professionals - most in the public health care system.

 

These professionals are memebers of numerous social media groups - they report numerous cases of underreporting, and of doctors and nureses being threatened if they disclose the true rates of infection.

2 hours ago, WaveHunter said:

Check out social media videos trickling out of China right now and you'll see that is exactly where they have been put. 

 

Even worse are the temporary hospitals: 

Workers prepare the Wuhan International Conference and Exhibition Center to serve as a temporary hospital for new coronavirus patients in Wuhan, China, on Feb. 4

 

Would you want to find yourself in one of these?  It sure does not look like a place where you will receive proper ICU care or be isolated from other infected patients to me.

 

Very, very few infected people need ICU care.  Most have what amounts to a simple cold. Presumably those  who ate sevetly ill will be in hospitals and these sort of large facilities are meant to contain all the others.

 

It appears the Chinese are trying to control spread (months too late)  by isolating all infected people even the many with minor symptoms -- not from each other, but from uninfected people in the hopes of halting the spread belatedly.

 

And appatently using highly coercive measures to round up people which is likely to be counterproductive and lead to people concealing their illness. 

2 hours ago, WaveHunter said:

Would you want to find yourself in one of these?  It sure does not look like a place where you will receive proper ICU care or be isolated from other infected patients to me.

Reckon I would go for a top bunk! 

Just now, Sheryl said:

 

 

 

It appears the Chinese are trying to control spread (months too late)  by isolating all infected people even the many with minor symptoms -- not from each other, but from uninfected people in the hopes of halting the spread belatedly.

 

And appatently using highly coercive measures to round up people which is likely to be counterproductive and lead to people concealing their illness. 

IMO most of the fake news is coming from the Chinese government, who I and others suspect are under-reporting the number of cases of coronavirus significantly.

Last comment, valid point. When the safety professionals in my Australian company were trying to introduce a safety culture to the Thai plant, they found employees went to great lengths to conceal a work-related injury.

25 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

Very, very few infected people need ICU care.  Most have what amounts to a simple cold. Presumably those  who ate sevetly ill will be in hospitals and these sort of large facilities are meant to contain all the others.

 

It appears the Chinese are trying to control spread (months too late)  by isolating all infected people even the many with minor symptoms -- not from each other, but from uninfected people in the hopes of halting the spread belatedly.

 

And appatently using highly coercive measures to round up people which is likely to be counterproductive and lead to people concealing their illness. 

The Serious Complication Rate for n-CoV is proving to be 20% of "confirmed cases".  With all due respect that is not "very few".  I got this statistic from articles I am reading on The Lancet, which I'm sure you know is probably the "gold standard" for peer-reviewed medical information in the world.

 

The Point you make about isolating all infected people together is very troubling I think.  It may be for the good of the healthy public, but it is hardly good to expose someone who is marginally infected to someone who is heavily infected.  There are, afterall, degrees of infection.  The flip-side of this argument of course is the fact that...what else can they do except this as the number of confirmed infections rapidly escalate.

 

And yes, I've seen unconfirmed videos popping up on WeChat and then quickly being censored of suspected infected people being rounded up on the streets to be transported to containment centers, and the police going door-to door demanding to do fever checks.

 

It's all very sad, and could have been averted to a great degree had the Chinese Government simply taken strong and decisive action at the outset, instead of waiting over a month to acknowledge transmissivity.

Confirmed cases are only those who come to medical attention.  Nobody is testing the general public.

 

Epidemiologists estimate more than 80% never do and have at the most cold-like symptoms, some not even that. 

 

They get that from among other things contact tracing/testing.

 

Once there is a better handle on what percent of infected people (a) have any symptoms at all and (b) have symptoms severe enough to seek medical attention the case fatality rate will be adjusted way downward.

3 hours ago, WaveHunter said:

Check out social media videos trickling out of China right now and you'll see that is exactly where they have been put. 

 

Even worse are the temporary hospitals: 

Workers prepare the Wuhan International Conference and Exhibition Center to serve as a temporary hospital for new coronavirus patients in Wuhan, China, on Feb. 4

 

Would you want to find yourself in one of these?  It sure does not look like a place where you will receive proper ICU care or be isolated from other infected patients to me.

Street's ahead of nothing.... Or 

are you suggesting that doing nothing is better than what had been shown? 

 

But of course don't miss an opportunity to knock what is probably the best effort available at short notice. 

Edited February 9, 20206 yr by Artisi

29 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Street's ahead of nothing.... Or 

are you suggesting that doing nothing is better than what had been shown? 

 

But of course don't miss an opportunity to knock what is probably the best effort available at short notice. 

Of course this is probably the only alternative at this stage of the outbreak, but are you actually inferring that the Chinese government should be praised for allowing this outbreak to get to this point?  Much of the severity of this could have been avoided had the Chinese government acted responsibly when there was still an opportunity to control it.

 

This is not an example of "best effort" by any means.  Best effort would be for them to stop denying they have things under control and allow the international community to step in and help, such as they US CDC has offered to do on three separate occasions since this all started back in December, but instead, the Chinese Central government has completely ignored the offer from them or any other outside organizations. The ruling part would rather save face than truly help their citizens.

52 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Confirmed cases are only those who come to medical attention.  Nobody is testing the general public.

 

Epidemiologists estimate more than 80% never do and have at the most cold-like symptoms, some not even that. 

 

They get that from among other things contact tracing/testing.

 

Once there is a better handle on what percent of infected people (a) have any symptoms at all and (b) have symptoms severe enough to seek medical attention the case fatality rate will be adjusted way downward.

That's one of the scariest aspects of this viral outbreak, because infected but asymptomatic people can be spreading the virus during the long 5-14 day incubation period without anyone being aware it, unlike SARS which was able to be contained fairly quickly since only symptomatic people were able to spread it. 

 

Just think about how many people can be infected in that period of time, especially with an R-Naught of around 2.6-3.8 (i.e.: an index case will infect 3 people who each will go on to infect three more people, and so on, and so on.  A lot of people can be infected from a single index case in a couple of weeks while no one is even aware it is happening!

 

The Lancet published a computer modelling study that estimates the actual number of infected people in Wuhan as of the end of January to be around 75,000 with a 95% certainty that it was between 30,000 and 133,000, if I remember correctly.  That is a LOT of people.

Edited February 9, 20206 yr by WaveHunter

Anyone found the age spread of those who have died? i had a look online but didn't find anything.

 

Meant to only be a risk to elderly and those with weakened immunity but that doctor died who was in his 30s

11 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Of course this is probably the only alternative at this stage of the outbreak, but are you actually inferring that the Chinese government should be praised for allowing this outbreak to get to this point?  Much of the severity of this could have been avoided had the Chinese government acted responsibly when there was still an opportunity to control it.

 

This is not an example of "best effort" by any means.  Best effort would be for them to stop denying they have things under control and allow the international community to step in and help, such as they US CDC has offered to do on three separate occasions since this all started back in December, but instead, the Chinese Central government has completely ignored the offer from them or any other outside organizations. The ruling part would rather save face than truly help their citizens.

Not in the least, just passing comment on a put-down of the what is currently being put in place. What went before is past history and what the outcome will be is crystal ball gazing.