Thailand begins disinfecting packages sent from abroad, despite WHO's reassurance

[snoop1130]

Thailand begins disinfecting packages sent from abroad, despite WHO's reassurance

 

Postal worker disinfects packages arrived from overseas, to contain the spread of coronavirus in Bangkok, Thailand March 5, 2020. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa

 

BANGKOK, March 5 (Reuters) - Thailand’s postal services began disinfecting all packages received from overseas on Thursday to counter the spread of the coronavirus, although the World Health Organisation has said it is safe to receive post from badly affected countries, like China.

 

The Southeast Asian nation reported four new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, bringing its total to 47. One person in Thailand has died has from the disease, which first erupted in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December.

 

There have been no reports of the virus being contracted from packages posted from overseas, but the plan to disinfect them is one of the latest measures taken by authorities to halt the spread of the disease.

 

“Thailand’s post offices will disinfect every package arriving from overseas, at headquarters, including at Suvarnabhumi airport, Lak Si post offices, express mail service and delivery trucks,” Thailand Post Chief Executive Officer, Korkij Danchaivichit, told reporters.

 

Postal workers disinfect packages arrived from overseas, to contain the spread of coronavirus in Bangkok, Thailand March 5, 2020. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa

 

In advice to the public posted on its website, the WHO said: “People receiving packages from China are not at risk of contracting the new coronavirus. From previous analysis, we know coronaviruses do not survive long on objects, such as letters or packages.”

 

The new cases in Thailand included an Italian male, a Chinese student and two Thai nationals who returned from China and Iran, Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoen, director-general of the Department of Disease Control said in a news conference on Thursday.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-05

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[ukrules]

This is a good call, I've had various packages arrive from the US recently, check out this tracking route, most recent destination is at the top :

 

 

UPS - Anchorage to Korea, next to China and finally on to Thailand!

 

It's like my package did a tour of the hotspots then came to me.

 

[DrTuner]

What is that solution they are spraying the boxes with?

[metempsychotic]

Why, just why?

[metempsychotic]

5 hours ago, ukrules said:

This is a good call, I've had various packages arrive from the US recently, check out this tracking route, most recent destination is at the top :

 

 

UPS - Anchorage to Korea, next to China and finally on to Thailand!

 

It's like my package did a tour of the hotspots then came to me.

 

Why is it a good call? If the virus cant be sustained outside ideal conditions for long, what does it acheive?

 

Its like wearing a condom to prevent hiv from a toilet seat.

 

And out of curiosity, why black out the time, is that sensitive information we should not have? After all, you left us the date.

Edited March 5, 2020 by metempsychotic

[metempsychotic]

We live on the edge around my place and pop chinese bubble wrap every chance we get

[bangkokfrog]

Maybe they will be proven right, but here we have another example of bureaucrats with no medical knowledge trying to look good by second guessing WHO. Also a nice excuse for even longer delays in receiving packages from overseas, and perhaps a few more that go "missing" as well. 

[ukrules]

3 hours ago, metempsychotic said:

Why is it a good call? If the virus cant be sustained outside ideal conditions for long, what does it acheive?

Little is known about what 'ideal conditions' are with this new virus, very little - so I don't believe a word that they say about that.

 

Removing the times is common sense for various reasons if you know a bit about matching datasets.

[scubascuba3]

i heard this is no risk as the virus could only survive a few hours

[Orton Rd]

Seems a bit daft when they are letting anyone in from anywhere with no real checks, but cardboard boxes get this treatment, just looks like PR for the government

[30la]

Panic is on the rise and is reaching unbelievable levels.

[ThaiBunny]

6 minutes ago, 30la said:

Panic is on the rise and is reaching unbelievable levels.

They read "epidemic" and think "Ebola"

[Andyfez]

No evidence it has ever been transmitted in this way 

About as effective as the security at the entrance to MRT stations.

[mfd101]

Presumably ordinary letters just pass unnoticed through the holes in the system ...

[Jimbo2014]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

although the World Health Organisation has said it is safe to receive post from badly affected countries, like China

So this would be akin to say... spraying water from drones to stop a pollution apocalypse? ????

[kilt]

2 guys in full hazmat suits while the guys unloading the truck are completely unprotected. Love it!

[Yadon Toploy]

Disinfecting is profitable.

[KhunKenAP]

Call your mom and tell her not to send food in your care packages. lol

[CLW]

9 hours ago, metempsychotic said:

Why, just why?

Because someone's relative or friend of Thai post management is selling disinfectant, suits and other equipment and they get kick backs. 

 

Useless as any other initiatives such as spraying water from rooftops, bomb detector scams, air filters on top of busses etc pp. 

[metempsychotic]

6 hours ago, ukrules said:

Little is known about what 'ideal conditions' are with this new virus, very little - so I don't believe a word that they say about that.

 

Removing the times is common sense for various reasons if you know a bit about matching datasets.

Better safe than sorry, you never know what those hackers are up to.

 

seems to me ts likely anyone willing to go to the trouble of matching data sets would just as likely be able to do so by date, point of origin and destination. Its highly likely shipments move at set times.

 

Though god knows what the potential benefit would be.

 

Dont forget that condom next time you take a poop away from home.

[300sd]

Could panicking early save a disaster instead of panicking later if there is one?

[ukrules]

4 hours ago, metempsychotic said:

seems to me ts likely anyone willing to go to the trouble of matching data sets would just as likely be able to do so by date, point of origin and destination. Its highly likely shipments move at set times.

You don't know the point of origin because I removed it.

[worgeordie]

The Government are taking all kinds of methods to control the virus,

now why can they not be as Gung Ho about the air pollution,and

the carnage on the roads, where 1200 + have died so far this year

according to a post i read on TVF.

regards worgeordie

[scubascuba3]

they are disinfecting soi 6, walking st and packages, how about letting us know how many tests have been done and publish the data. I've not seen it, anyone seen it? people are skeptical about the stuff that really works i.e. testing

[3NUMBAS]

Coughs and sneezes undoubtedly spread diseases, but when it comes to coronavirus, doorknobs, chair arms and handrails may pose a bigger risk of infection.

Surface contamination has recently been found to be more significant than first thought with some infectious agents managing to survive in hospitals for 46 months.

Couple that with the fact that humans touch their faces an average of 23 times a day while awake, and suddenly the risk of inadvertently transferring a bacterium or virus through the mouth, eyes or nose is stark. 

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2020/03/06/deadly-doorknob-science-coronavirus-contamination/

[scubascuba3]

6 minutes ago, 3NUMBAS said:

with some infectious agents managing to survive in hospitals for 46 months.

 

The experts I've been listening to have said this Corona virus survives a few hours. 46 months sounds a bit scaremongery