There is no 'zero risk' in easing travel restrictions, WHO says

[snoop1130]

There is no 'zero risk' in easing travel restrictions, WHO says

By Bhargav Acharya, Kanishka Singh

 

FILE PHOTO: A traveller walks at the Tegel airport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Berlin, Germany, July 29, 2020. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt

 

(Reuters) - There is no “zero risk” strategy for countries easing international travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and essential travel for emergencies should remain the priority, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

 

In a long-awaited update to its guidance on travel, the United Nations global health agency said cross-border trips for emergencies, humanitarian work, the transfer of essential personnel and repatriation would constitute essential travel.

 

“There is no ‘zero risk’ when considering the potential importation or exportation of cases in the context of international travel,” it said in the updated guidance posted on its website on Thursday.

 

A surge of new infections in many parts of the world has prompted some countries to reintroduce some travel restrictions, including testing and quarantining incoming passengers.

 

The WHO had said in June it would update its travel guidelines before the northern hemisphere summer holidays.

 

The WHO’s guidance can be used by governments and industries to help shape policies, but is not enforceable.

 

The updated travel advice is little changed from previous guidance, which also included infection control advice applicable to other settings such as social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands and avoiding touching the face.

 

The WHO urged each country to conduct its own risk-benefit analysis before lifting any or all travel restrictions. Authorities should take into account local epidemiology and transmission patterns, it said, as well as national health and social distancing measures already in place.

 

Countries that choose to quarantine all travellers on arrival should do so after assessing the risks and consider local circumstances, the WHO said.

 

“Countries should continuously plan for and assess their surge capacities for testing, tracking, isolating and managing imported cases and quarantine of contacts,” it said.

 

The WHO said this week that international travel bans cannot stay in place indefinitely, and countries will have to do more to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus within their borders.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-31

 

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[nausea]

Well they aren't stopping it are they? They're just slowing down its progress a bit. I'm guessing, you have to hit it very early to be effective. Destroying the world economy as a belated response is a bit of an overreaction. But what do I know? 

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

There is no 'zero risk' in easing travel restrictions, WHO says

never thought i would see zero IQ; here it is

[spidermike007]

It is questionable how high the risk is of allowing tourists into the country that is for sure, however the risk of not allowing tourists into the country is extremely high. In the case of Thailand we're talking about the risk of devestating millions upon millions of people who are relying upon the industry. Up to 20% of the total economy, if you take into account all related Industries. That is 5, 6, 7 million jobs lost for Forever at this pace.

 

The government needs to be cautious but there are many ways they could allow a limited amount of tourism very safely, they just need a strategy and they need to avoid making it so difficult that no tourist in their right mind is going to come here. 

[from the home of CC]

keep doing what you're doing Thailand, it won't be easy but will be a lot easier than if you let in a whack of diseased people that will overwhelm your hospitals like all these so called first world countries seem to promote..

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“There is no ‘zero risk’ when considering the potential importation or exportation of cases in the context of international travel,” it said in the updated guidance posted on its website on Thursday.

 

This from the same WHO idiots who long maintained at the beginning of the pandemic that there was no need for any international travel restrictions.... 

 

It doesn't take a Ph.D. in public health to figure out that if you're in a country with a size 2 COVID problem like Thailand initially, you do NOT want to import tourists/travelers from countries with worse size 3-10 COVID problems to add to your own domestic disease burden -- until and unless you have an effective/enforced quarantine and monitoring system in place.

  

 

[Krataiboy]

Interesting and encouraging that despite the nation's schools having been open for a month, there is as yet no sign of a "second wave" of Covid.

 

Could it be that the virus has actually been active in Thailand, as has been proposed, since the back end of last year and was mistaken for seasonal flu or some other respiratory ailment until the COVID scare started.

 

If so, then enough of us could have already had SARS 2 to ensure herd immunity, which I gather can occur when as little twenty or thirty percent of the population has been infected. Apparently, this is because large numbers of people may already have natural immunity, provided either by T-cells or antibodies from a previous infection by a different coronavirus.

[Brunolem]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

In the case of Thailand we're talking about the risk of devestating millions upon millions of people who are relying upon the industry. Up to 20% of the total economy, if you take into account all related Industries. That is 5, 6, 7 million jobs lost for Forever at this pace.

 

 

There is (low level) job creation too...going on right now.

 

For example, in Ubon a few months ago, Grab barely existed.

 

Now there are literally hundreds of motorbikes stationed in front of multiple restaurants throughout the city, waiting for their orders.

 

So, instead of transporting tourists in the South, many now transport food in the Northeast and elsewhere...

 

 

 

[spidermike007]

18 hours ago, Brunolem said:

There is (low level) job creation too...going on right now.

 

For example, in Ubon a few months ago, Grab barely existed.

 

Now there are literally hundreds of motorbikes stationed in front of multiple restaurants throughout the city, waiting for their orders.

 

So, instead of transporting tourists in the South, many now transport food in the Northeast and elsewhere...

 

 

 

That is a mere pittance. It represents 1% of formerly employed Thais, maybe. 

[rabas]

Thank you China, more COVID-19. A recent study analysed the pandemic and concluded that air travel was a major cause of the virus spreading world wide.

 

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-07-reveals-cases-covid-china-based.html

 

Amazing, since China/WHO also suggested is was not very contagious until they had to, as China was buying the world's supply of masks. The daily infection rate is about to hit 300,000 confirmed cases per day. 

 

[candide]

5 hours ago, rabas said:

Thank you China, more COVID-19. A recent study analysed the pandemic and concluded that air travel was a major cause of the virus spreading world wide.

 

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-07-reveals-cases-covid-china-based.html

 

Amazing, since China/WHO also suggested is was not very contagious until they had to, as China was buying the world's supply of masks. The daily infection rate is about to hit 300,000 confirmed cases per day. 

 

How  and when did WHO suggest it was not very contagious?

[from the home of CC]

On 8/2/2020 at 12:16 PM, Anton9 said:

Most first world countries hospital are empty

tell that to the US

[elliss]

On 8/1/2020 at 2:08 PM, from the home of CC said:

keep doing what you're doing Thailand, it won't be easy but will be a lot easier than if you let in a whack of diseased people that will overwhelm your hospitals like all these so called first world countries seem to promote..

 

      Correct . 

  People , from high risk countries/ first world countries ,

must be denied entry  to the Kingdom..

 

 

[Stadtler]

Was not The WHO the same body that told us there was no human to human transmission?  The same idiots who told us that we shouldn't wear masks? 

 

Shock collars should be issued to all these idiots so we we may zap them when they write stupid things.

[Scott]

1 hour ago, Stadtler said:

Was not The WHO the same body that told us there was no human to human transmission?  The same idiots who told us that we shouldn't wear masks? 

 

Shock collars should be issued to all these idiots so we we may zap them when they write stupid things.

On January 14th the WHO said there was "no clear evidence" of human-to-human transmission.   That quickly changed.   There early statements on masks did not advise against masks, it stated they were not recommended.  

As more was learned about the virus, their recommendations changed.  

 

[Scott]

Please stay on topic, which is about easing travel restrictions.  

[Starmocihc]

2 hours ago, elliss said:

 

      Correct . 

  People , from high risk countries/ first world countries ,

must be denied entry  to the Kingdom..

 

 

Keep dreaming, BPB. You'll have to pay full price, in any case. ????????

[sammieuk1]

In monetary terms apart from the influx of tourists being rinsed very little has been spent compared to many nations and that could be the conundrum with a micro welfare bill and much of the tourist dependant personnel left to fend for themselves the rich are still rich why rock the boat it's probably as simple as that ????  

[impulse]

On the flip side, there is no zero risk way to put millions of people out of work...

 

The question is... Will flattening the curve reduce the eventual death numbers, or simply prolong the time to economic recovery? 

 

Because there is no question that decimated economies will cause suffering.

[GinBoy2]

Isn't the horrible rotten truth that we are all coming to terms with the fact that until there is an effective vaccine for COVID, our lives are never going to be 'normal' and we need to understand what the, and hate this phrase, the new normal has to be?

[Meat Pie 47]

On 8/2/2020 at 10:18 PM, rabas said:

Thank you China, more COVID-19. A recent study analysed the pandemic and concluded that air travel was a major cause of the virus spreading world wide.

 

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-07-reveals-cases-covid-china-based.html

 

Amazing, since China/WHO also suggested is was not very contagious until they had to, as China was buying the world's supply of masks. The daily infection rate is about to hit 300,000 confirmed cases per day. 

 

yes and your leader said it is only the flu it will disappear by Easter

[Scott]

Troll post and reply removed. 

 

[spidermike007]

On 8/2/2020 at 9:18 PM, rabas said:

Thank you China, more COVID-19. A recent study analysed the pandemic and concluded that air travel was a major cause of the virus spreading world wide.

 

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-07-reveals-cases-covid-china-based.html

 

Amazing, since China/WHO also suggested is was not very contagious until they had to, as China was buying the world's supply of masks. The daily infection rate is about to hit 300,000 confirmed cases per day. 

 

No question about that. And so was the administrations willingness to let both Chinese green card holders, and Americans continue to travel back and forth, after the restrictions were put into place, without any screening whatsoever. That was brainless, moronic, dangerous, reckless, bad policy, and resulted in who knows how many thousands of deaths. Therefore, the American version, and what we are seeing now, could realistically be referred to as the Covid Trump version. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 8/2/2020 at 7:18 AM, rabas said:

The daily infection rate is about to hit 300,000 confirmed cases per day. 

 

 

From Johns Hopkins CV report for Aug. 3: (They're talking worldwide, below)

 

Quote

The WHO reported the 2 highest daily incidence to date on July 31 and August 1 —292,527 and 289,321 new cases, respectively. If the current trend continues, the global daily incidence could potentially exceed 300,000 new cases for the first time later this week. The average global daily incidence is nearly 260,000 new cases per day, putting the pandemic on pace for approximately 1.8 million cases per week.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

15 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

No question about that. And so was the administrations willingness to let both Chinese green card holders, and Americans continue to travel back and forth, after the restrictions were put into place, without any screening whatsoever. That was brainless, moronic, dangerous, reckless, bad policy, and resulted in who knows how many thousands of deaths. Therefore, the American version, and what we are seeing now, could realistically be referred to as the Covid Trump version. 

 

The bizarre part is, right now today, foreign tourists CAN enter the U.S. from many countries with nothing more than a recommended 14 day stay-at-home period... with no enforcement of that whatsoever AFAIK.

 

The only travel ban countries are those that the U.S. adopted very early in the pandemic, and AFAIK, that list hasn't changed for a long time, even after the CV exploded in South and Central America and elsewhere. And the excluded countries ban below only applies to their foreign nationals, and excludes U.S. citizens and permanent resident status folks returning from those countries.

 

Quote

 

Most foreign nationals who have been in one of these countries during the previous 14 days will not be allowed to enter the United States.

• Brazil
• China
• Iran
• Most European Countries
• United Kingdom and Ireland

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html

 

Perhaps the U.S. is figuring, we're so BAD already, that pretty much nowhere else is going to have anything worse than what we already have among our own citizens...  But still, you'd think they wouldn't want to be voluntarily importing added new CV cases under any circumstance.  No ASQ in the U.S.

 

 

Edited August 4, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[spidermike007]

21 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The bizarre part is, right now today, foreign tourists CAN enter the U.S. from many countries with nothing more than a recommended 14 day stay-at-home period... with no enforcement of that whatsoever AFAIK.

 

The only travel ban countries are those that the U.S. adopted very early in the pandemic, and AFAIK, that list hasn't changed for a long time, even after the CV exploded in South and Central America and elsewhere. And the excluded countries ban below only applies to their foreign nationals, and excludes U.S. citizens and permanent resident status folks returning from those countries.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html

 

Perhaps the U.S. is figuring, we're so BAD already, that pretty much nowhere else is going to have anything worse than what we already have among our own citizens...  But still, you'd think they wouldn't want to be voluntarily importing added new CV cases under any circumstance.  No ASQ in the U.S.

 

 

Utter and gross mismanagement at the federal level. The US is on a sort of moronic cruise control, with regard to Covid. That will change in January, once an intelligent leader steps in. 

[hotandsticky]

6 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Utter and gross mismanagement at the federal level. The US is on a sort of moronic cruise control, with regard to Covid. That will change in January, once an intelligent leader steps in. 

 

 

It doesn't matter how intelligent a new incumbent may be  -  he will not compensate for the dumb actions of too many of his citizens.

[spidermike007]

True. But there is enormous risk in keeping millions of Thais out of work. Great risk to the army. Change is coming. Rid the country of the toxic army. Let Thailand move forward. 

[Odysseus123]

On 8/4/2020 at 3:28 AM, GinBoy2 said:

Isn't the horrible rotten truth that we are all coming to terms with the fact that until there is an effective vaccine for COVID, our lives are never going to be 'normal' and we need to understand what the, and hate this phrase, the new normal has to be?

Indeed-and what the WHO is stating at present seems quite reasonable to me.It is,after all,up to the individual nation states what they choose to do in respect to opening their borders and what travel restrictions they have in place and what may be eased in the future.

 

I don't expect these restrictions to change much in the near future as Thailand will be keeping a close eye on China,Singapore and Australia.