Officials forecast 400,000 COVID-19 cases in Thailand

[khunpa]

Finally someone putting some realistic numbers on the table.

 

Do not be surprised if we will soon see military on the streets and complete lock-downs of cities, as more gets infected and hospital beds run out.

 

The interesting thing, will be to see how the government will handle this. Because with no welfare system, you can very quick end up with a lot of hungry and very desperate people. 

[graemeaylward]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Health officials in Thailand have forecast that at least 400,000 people may be diagnosed with the coronavirus, COVID-19, by the end of next year.

The article then goes on to talk about the end of 2020!

2020 is this year!  If the Government don't know what year we are in they are unlikely to be "in control" of any situation! ????????

[Chazar]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Officials also stress that the number of predicted cases will be greatly reduced if the public adhere to the preventive measures put in place by the government to help reduce the spread of the virus.

They  lack even basic hygiene and do stupid sharing of food and other utensils, right  now I have 5  people working here , they all share the same cup to drink their water.....one after the other..........

[KKr]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

People are also urged to wear a face mask when outside

WHO says:
""

• If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected 2019-nCoV infection.
• Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
• Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly.

""
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks

In short:
a dust mask does help against the rampant and smelly air pollution that kills you slowly,
but not usually significantly protect against viral infections that may kill faster.
However, if one were to use the mask improperly, it may have some virus on the outside that one can infect oneself with.

[ParkerN]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Health officials in Thailand have forecast that at least 400,000 people may be diagnosed with the coronavirus, COVID-19, by the end of next year.

Oh really? So the tourist situation is not expected to improve this year?

 

So much for predictions that the pandemic will be over by July or August then...

 

 

[spiekerjozef]

That is less than the flu.

[Saltire]

There is no point in worrying that the government hospitals will be 'swamped', as they alraedy are and have been for ages.

 

Visiting my father in law a few months ago (pre virus) there was not a spare inch or an empty bed. Beds lined up along each corridor.

 

I posted about this and it is apparently the norm.

 

This could be another tsunami.

[aussienam]

2 hours ago, zydeco said:

How many required ICU beds does this translate into?

 

Field hospitals by army personnel will be only option.  

[VocalNeal]

54 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

but but but the experts on this forum said this would not happen in Thailand.

 

i was specificity assured this would not happen. 

 

something about it being too hot. 

 

WEAR A MASK

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/health-51881555/coronavirus-do-face-masks-actually-work

[aussienam]

Way way too many people are being dismissive and nonchalant about this.  I just left Thailand but Thais and foreigners - particularly the older ones stuffed into bars with groping women, touching tables, glasses, toilet door handles, coughing patrons, close proximity, etc.  It is like a bomb about to explode with infections.  

Thankfully most of us will not die.  Those who are over 70 and those with existing health conditions, get inside and away from people. 

[Matzzon]

2 hours ago, zydeco said:

How many required ICU beds does this translate into?

 

3 beds per person

[GeorgeCross]

1 hour ago, dukeandduke said:

Wonderful.  "Officials" say this.  As opposed to all of the doctors who say otherwise, unless you're sick, a health care worker, etc.

 

please explain how masks protect health care workers but no-one else? do they have special mask super powers or something?

 

 

[dblh]

38 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

That is less than the flu.

Influenza kills about 380 000 every year based on study about last 10 years. This frigging lock down should be annual. Some people wants the whole world into recession and they did it very well. Swine flu got very close on 2009 but still influenza is top of the list. Get real!

[potless]

14 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/health-51881555/coronavirus-do-face-masks-actually-work

I saw this video days ago and the first thing that struck me is that the presenter contradicts herself. The video isnt about whether or not masks are effective. The message is "leave them for the health workers".

[NCC1701A]

https://nypost.com/2020/03/17/coronavirus-doctor-says-lung-scans-for-young-patients-were-nothing-short-of-terrifying/

 

Dr. Ignace Demeyer, who works at a hospital in Aalst, said an increasing number of people between the ages of 30 and 50 have presented with severe symptoms, despite having “blank medical records” that show no underlying conditions that would make them high-risk, the Brussels Times reported.

[Tarteso]

1 hour ago, khunpa said:

Do not be surprised if we will soon see military on the streets and complete lock-downs of cities,

I haven’t any doubt to see that scenario, soon.

[drbeach]

1 hour ago, Isaanbiker said:

Most government hospitals do not have rooms to separate patients with contagious diseases.

 

And way too many patients from Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and other countries.

 

They already use all floors, how should they be able to separate them? Impossible, in my eyes. 

 

A German friend passed away after a heart attack.

 

The cause of death was various lung infections that he'd gotten from other patients in the ICU.

We had him in a single room, but when his health got worse, they had to bring him back to the main ICU with all the diseased people.

The hospital was the Sapphasit in Ubon Ratchathani. 

 

I need to stop reading news about the virus for a while. Time to do some urgently needed stuff. 

I agree...don't understand Thailand's generosity for giving free health care to nationals of these neighboring countries, there are millions of them in Thailand. Seems pretty racist to me, when they don't give it to us. Plus, those countries don't give Thais free health care...they're treated like any other foreigners. Seems like the Thai government has shot themselves in the foot on this one.

 

I think this whole corona virus situation could be the impetus that forces the Thai government to make some cut backs - one of them being, no more free health care for any non-Thais...

[potless]

2 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

https://nypost.com/2020/03/17/coronavirus-doctor-says-lung-scans-for-young-patients-were-nothing-short-of-terrifying/

 

Dr. Ignace Demeyer, who works at a hospital in Aalst, said an increasing number of people between the ages of 30 and 50 have presented with severe symptoms, despite having “blank medical records” that show no underlying conditions that would make them high-risk, the Brussels Times reported.

Virus mutation, new strain ?

[JCP108]

33 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

please explain how masks protect health care workers but no-one else? do they have special mask super powers or something?

 

 

I worked in a hospital in the U.S. for five years. When putting on a mask, we first cleaned our hands with sanitizer, then put on medical gloves. So, our hands we used to touch the clean glove and then our face when putting it one were just immediately sanitized and gloved. So, no surface to face transfer of a pathogen. We were trained to NEVER touch your masked face with your gloved hand once you used that hand to touch anything else. Then, we reversed the process by taking off our gloves, throwing them away (single use only), and sanitizing our hands before touching our mask to take it off. Thats why health care workers can and should wear them with extra protection and no increased risk (if done properly every time). 

 

People don't normally do that. The Thai people in my neighborhood are wearing the same mask over and over. They are touching their face over and over when putting it on, taking it off, and while wearing it (as in scratching their nose or pushing up their glasses). All of that increases risk instead of decreasing it. Also, the type of mask commonly worn doesn't look to me to be a type that will actually filter all the air droplets out if someone sneezes or coughs near you. 

[steve73]

1 hour ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Based on the 10 million infections and 5% needing critical support about 50,000 by my dodgy calculations.

Definitely dodgy....

 

5% of (the worst case estimate of) 10 million is 500,000.  

[metisdead]

Another post with a Twitter link has been removed as this is not a Twitter site. 

[steve73]

The basic wraparound cloth mask offers little protection to the wearer.  The main reason is to prevent the wearer from infecting others (such as during surgery).

 

There are better masks becoming available, or respirator/canister types that better protect the wearer.

[Chazar]

45 minutes ago, aussienam said:

Field hospitals by army personnel will be only option.  

would  that be on a  shoot  to  kill basis?

[JCP108]

So, can someone please tell me...when I do my border run in a few days to re-up my 90 days on my multi-entry visa, how will I "show a medical certificate to prove" I "do not have COVID-19?" I have no symptoms. So, even if I have access, I don't think I will be given a test. Also, I understand the tests are not immediate. So, if I can get a test, how to time it so it's good in the window?

[Raphael54]

Difficult to see where these three scenarios come from.  In Europe (UK, Netherlands) they assume that eventually 80% of people will either have to become infected or vaccinated.  Once that percentage is reached, so-called "group-immunity" is achieved and the virus will die out.

[Timwin]

Face masks are just part of the protection. If you use it incorrectly (like 60-70 percent of people), you just increase your risk of getting infected! Idiotic. 

 

It is a face trap for the virus after all. You have to take it off from both ears, not slide it up and down and stop touching it all the time.  

[JCP108]

1 minute ago, Timwin said:

Face masks are just part of the protection. If you use it incorrectly (like 60-70 percent of people), you just increase your risk of getting infected! Idiotic. 

 

It is a face trap for the virus after all. You have to take it off from both ears, not slide it up and down and stop touching it all the time.  

Also, you have to sanitize your hands and/or wear gloves as you put it on to not transfer <deleted> from your hands to your face. And, (this is very important) take it off without touching your face with an unsanitized hand...AND, only use it once then throw it away. 

[brucegoniners]

What a bunch of jerk offs. They have no freaking idea. 400K? 10 million? 16 million? Common. Come up with solution, not stupid predictions that have no basis in fact.

[NaaKap]

There needs to be a real effort put together from governments worldwide to hold China responsible and demand monetary compensation for business losses, family losses, China already trying to muddy the waters and distance themselves from causing this pandemic need to be held responsible 

 

[jossthaifarang]

2 hours ago, dukeandduke said:

Wonderful.  "Officials" say this.  As opposed to all of the doctors who say otherwise, unless you're sick, a health care worker, etc.

Problem is most people dont know they are sick or not, so they want people wearing masks not to prevent getting it, but to prevent giving it to someone.. Makes a little bit of sense when you look at it like that...