Poll suggests Thais are less concerned about Covid-19 - mask wearing down considerably

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Poll suggests Thais are less concerned about Covid-19 - mask wearing down considerably

 

Picture: Sanook

 

Thais have been warned not to let down their guard regarding the pandemic. 

 

Health Ministry official Kiatphoom Wongjarit noted that the USA and Europe were increasingly in the grip of the virus that was also on the rise again in Asia in places like Bangladesh, Malaysia and Pakistan. 

 

Most cases in Thailand had been brought in from abroad he noted. recent reports are nearly all in quarantine. 

 

While the wait for a vaccine continues the Department of Disease Control (DDC) conducted a survey from 7th to 20th November asking 3,140 people about the virus. 

 

This revealed that people displaying no symptoms were now wearing masks 68% of the time down from a high of 96% in May. 

 

Only 88% of people with symptoms were wearing masks down from nearly 95%.

 

Only about 55% of people were wearing masks when out in the streets. 

 

Kiatphoom stressed the need for people to continue the DMHT protocols - distancing, mask wearing,hand washing and (rapid) testing. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

 

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[spidermike007]

Excellent news. The mask wearing, at this point is tiresome and inane. There is NO COVID in Thailand. So, why all the paranoia? I get wearing a mask in the US, or Europe. But here? Seems excessive, paranoid and based on fear mongering. 

[madmen]

15 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Excellent news. The mask wearing, at this point is tiresome and inane. There is NO COVID in Thailand. So, why all the paranoia? I get wearing a mask in the US, or Europe. But here? Seems excessive, paranoid and based on fear mongering. 

Thais especially women have been prone to mask wearing increasingly over the last decade especially on the BTS and before everyone had an PM 2.5 app. 

 

It wasn't hard to get thais compliant compared to western populations. There compliance and border closure was instrumental in crushing the virus 

[keith101]

I was inside a 7 store the other day when a woman started to come in without a mask on and was quickly told to leave and get a mask before coming back , obviously didnt have one as she got on her motorbike and left .

[tomazbodner]

Noticed the same. Barely maybe a third of people I see on the streets wear masks in centre of Bangkok. 6 months back it was close to 100%.

[ericdiam]

When will this DDC wake up and stop their stupid remarks about people less wearing masks. For over 5 months there has been no new covid, only quarantine people or where there before. THERE IS NO COVID IN THAILAND FOR MONTHS. So dont start comparing us with USA or Europe.

Start thinking of the recovery of economy which is the worst from total Asia and government does zero, only filling their own pockets more and more. And keeping THB extremely strong so more and more big large companies close their factories here totaly and move to Vietnam.

Millions of Thai people lost their jobs, no income no money no food.

Open the borders urgently with ALL risk free countries. Many have zero or close to zero new cases for many many months

[prakhonchai nick]

My local Tesco will only allow me to enter if I have a mask. yet once inside, I see many customers have removed them, or wear them at "half mast" as do many of the Tesco employees. Totally ridiculous!. No Covid in Thailand (so we are told) for the past 3/4 months so abandon the mask wearing rule. Totally farcical!

[Andrew65]

"Chaos at Shanghai airport after sudden decision to test thousands - reports. The Global Times reports that Shanghai Pudong airport has started testing thousands of staff and passengers after several cargo handlers tested positive for coronavirus. Hundreds of flights have also been cancelled, and videos posted online appear to show people panicking as they are told they will all be tested for the virus."

[Crusader]

Got so used to putting the mask on...it is almost automatic now - will continue to do so. 

[richard_smith237]

The major issue with mask wearing is that everyone reuses the same masks for weeks. 

 

I have them in my car, motorbike bag, various shopping bags, sports bags, pockets of my shorts etc...  once its used, it gets put back in the same bag etc.

 

I’m aware that carrying old masks is not hygienic, I’m aware the reusable masks need to be washed each day - I know this yet I still carry all those masks around because the inconvenience of not having one and getting caught out and not being permitted entry into a building, 7-11, supermarket etc is a pain in the backside... 

 

So... Everyone is walking around using the same mask for weeks, effectively carrying around a little cloth petri-dish. 

 

 

[Katipo]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Excellent news. The mask wearing, at this point is tiresome and inane. There is NO COVID in Thailand. So, why all the paranoia? I get wearing a mask in the US, or Europe. But here? Seems excessive, paranoid and based on fear mongering. 

 

Did it occur to you that it might be practices such as mask wearing that are the reasons there is no (or almost none) Covid in Thailand?

 

Wouldn't it be more sensible if people continued to take practical measures to prevent Covid spread, particularly if the country hopes to be opened up to Tourism?

 

Getting rid of mask, hand gels, and social distancing measures would likely mean that as soon as the country opens up, Covid infections will skyrocket, leading to another lockdown and the economic repercussions that the country can simply not cope with.

 

If wearing a mask means helping to save the economy and all those suffering from having their income completely cut off, then I'll do it.

[spidermike007]

5 minutes ago, Katipo said:

 

Did it occur to you that it might be practices such as mask wearing that are the reasons there is no (or almost none) Covid in Thailand?

 

Wouldn't it be more sensible if people continued to take practical measures to prevent Covid spread, particularly if the country hopes to be opened up to Tourism?

 

Getting rid of mask, hand gels, and social distancing measures would likely mean that as soon as the country opens up, Covid infections will skyrocket, leading to another lockdown and the economic repercussions that the country can simply not cope with.

 

If wearing a mask means helping to save the economy and all those suffering from having their income completely cut off, then I'll do it.

I agree. Once they open the country. Until then, it is a big stage play. 

[DavisH]

10 minutes ago, Katipo said:

 

Did it occur to you that it might be practices such as mask wearing that are the reasons there is no (or almost none) Covid in Thailand?

 

Wouldn't it be more sensible if people continued to take practical measures to prevent Covid spread, particularly if the country hopes to be opened up to Tourism?

 

Getting rid of mask, hand gels, and social distancing measures would likely mean that as soon as the country opens up, Covid infections will skyrocket, leading to another lockdown and the economic repercussions that the country can simply not cope with.

 

If wearing a mask means helping to save the economy and all those suffering from having their income completely cut off, then I'll do it.

If you mean "opening up" as getting to Thailand then getting put in quarantine, then this has not and will not cause an outbreak of coronavirus. The government will likely not have any opening up until tourists here can prove they have been vaccinated. 

Given the decreasing use of masks, and still no ourbreak of the virus, suggests to me that covid is currently inactive in Thailand. 

Went to a wedding party on Sunday out in the sticks in Kanchanaburi. 300-400 people crammed under a marquee and not one mask in sight. Bangkok is a little different but mask use sems to ahve decreased. Still, students are still required to use them when at school. 

[Emdog]

"Only about 55% of people were wearing masks when out in the streets."

In Ramkhamhaeng I'd estimate 95%. What bothers me is that street food vendors more like 50% & they are the ones above all that should be wearing.

With a vaccine in sight, stay vigilant just a few more months. The virus doesn't care if you are the first to die or the last....

"Why should we wear masks? There is no pandemic here." Gee, wonder why... maybe.... wearing masks?

[Oldie]

27 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The major issue with mask wearing is that everyone reuses the same masks for weeks. 

 

I have them in my car, motorbike bag, various shopping bags, sports bags, pockets of my shorts etc...  once its used, it gets put back in the same bag etc.

 

I’m aware that carrying old masks is not hygienic, I’m aware the reusable masks need to be washed each day - I know this yet I still carry all those masks around because the inconvenience of not having one and getting caught out and not being permitted entry into a building, 7-11, supermarket etc is a pain in the backside... 

 

So... Everyone is walking around using the same mask for weeks, effectively carrying around a little cloth petri-dish. 

 

 

You are complaining - okay. But why don't you stop to act like everyone else? I clean my mask every evening. 

 

[Techno Viking]

my masks feel like they are made from the same material as my underpants.... they rot the same too when worn for too long !!

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, Oldie said:

31 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The major issue with mask wearing is that everyone reuses the same masks for weeks. 

 

I have them in my car, motorbike bag, various shopping bags, sports bags, pockets of my shorts etc...  once its used, it gets put back in the same bag etc.

 

I’m aware that carrying old masks is not hygienic, I’m aware the reusable masks need to be washed each day - I know this yet I still carry all those masks around because the inconvenience of not having one and getting caught out and not being permitted entry into a building, 7-11, supermarket etc is a pain in the backside... 

 

So... Everyone is walking around using the same mask for weeks, effectively carrying around a little cloth petri-dish. 

 

 

Expand  

You are complaining - okay. But why don't you stop to act like everyone else? I clean my mask every evening. 

 

 

I don’t know anyone else who washes their mask every evening, I don’t know anyone who disposes of their disposable mask at the end of the day (except for medical personal). 

 

How many other folk on this forum use their disposable mask once before binning it, or uses a disposable mask once (i.e for one day) before washing it ?

 

 

My comments are not so much a complaint, more of an observation of a flaw related to wearing masks. 

So many are old, dirty, unwashed etc that they present greater risk. 

 

 

I’m ok with wearing a mask wherever required and happy to comply, but I am left wondering how hygienic they are when I often forget to change a mask or replace a disposable mask with a new one.

 

 

 

 

 

[Dumbastheycome]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I don’t know anyone else who washes their mask every evening, I don’t know anyone who disposes of their disposable mask at the end of the day (except for medical personal). 

 

How many other folk on this forum use their disposable mask once before binning it, or uses a disposable mask once (i.e for one day) before washing it ?

 

 

My comments are not so much a complaint, more of an observation of a flaw related to wearing masks. 

So many are old, dirty, unwashed etc that they present greater risk. 

 

 

I’m ok with wearing a mask wherever required and happy to comply, but I am left wondering how hygienic they are when I often forget to change a mask or replace a disposable mask with a new one.

 

 

 

 

 

Now that disposable masks are  20Bht for a pack of 10 I have no problem  with binning one if I have worn it for significant amount of  time during a day. I do not wear a mask unless in a market or shop or any place where am in close proximity and that is only about  3 days in a week anyway.

But it is noticeable that there is  less consistency in mask use even in franchise outlets big and small.

 

[phantomfiddler]

My thoughts on the situation are that since the quoted per capita fatality rate in Thailand is 0.00008%, compared to 50% during the Black Plague in Europe (incidentally a proportional factor of 625,000 to 1) it would seen like a slight overreaction to wear a mask. However in years past most of us did not place much thought of being in the presence of someone who was coughing, sneezing, or a mini Niagara Falls gushing from their nose. Now I avoid such people and immediately head upwind.

[Jingthing]

I use disposable surgical masks. Usually one use only but sometimes if I only wear for a short time and didn't get it sweaty then I will reuse one time. 

I also have some cloth masks to mix it up. Of course I wash them. 

[Fairynuff]

In my area of Bangkok I’d say 90% of Thais are still wearing masks, but foreigners probably only 50%. I’m used to wearing a mask and I’ll carry on. The places I visit outside of Bangkok I agree that many fewer people are wearing them, but it’s been like that for quite a while.

[poohy]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

The major issue with mask wearing is that everyone reuses the same masks for weeks. 

 

I have them in my car, motorbike bag, various shopping bags, sports bags, pockets of my shorts etc...  once its used, it gets put back in the same bag etc.

 

I’m aware that carrying old masks is not hygienic, I’m aware the reusable masks need to be washed each day - I know this yet I still carry all those masks around because the inconvenience of not having one and getting caught out and not being permitted entry into a building, 7-11, supermarket etc is a pain in the backside... 

 

So... Everyone is walking around using the same mask for weeks, effectively carrying around a little cloth petri-dish. 

 

 

The one (my only one) fluttering on my motorbike handle is as old as lockdown if it rains it get washed and sun and wind dried...................does stink a bit though

[from the home of CC]

with the proximity to Myanmar and the large transient labor force here on construction projects my mask won't be coming off anytime soon..

[Walter Travolta]

1 hour ago, Katipo said:

 

Did it occur to you that it might be practices such as mask wearing that are the reasons there is no (or almost none) Covid in Thailand?

 

Wouldn't it be more sensible if people continued to take practical measures to prevent Covid spread, particularly if the country hopes to be opened up to Tourism?

 

Getting rid of mask, hand gels, and social distancing measures would likely mean that as soon as the country opens up, Covid infections will skyrocket, leading to another lockdown and the economic repercussions that the country can simply not cope with.

 

If wearing a mask means helping to save the economy and all those suffering from having their income completely cut off, then I'll do it.

But wearing masks hasnt saved the economy

[vandeventer]

 I guess it depends where you live as it is different strokes for different folks . I was in the bank a few days ago wearing a mask and the mask broke on one side so I looked really stupid with 1 ear hooked and the other ear unhooked so the  bank girl came running over and gave me a new mask. How kind of the bank?

[natway09]

I still think we need to keep our guard up in certain areas.

I am seeing every day a familiar face appearing who has just finished quarantine.

Not difficult to imagine  them coming across an infected person arriving on their way out.

Nothing is totally foolproof but why undo all the good work for a non compliance denial

which is why the UK & USA are hurting.

Stubborn people with little brains

 

[ronaldo0]

If there is no Covid then why would you need a mask ? To stop all the cold and flu that a lot of people seem to have ? ????

[Migrosmarket]

If God had meant us to breath through a fine cloth he would have built us with webbed faces.

[Migrosmarket]

40 minutes ago, natway09 said:

I am seeing every day a familiar face appearing who has just finished quarantine.

Well you shouldn't be if they are wearing masks.....

[ChrisKC]

I wear a mask because it is advised.

 

It is so little an inconvenience, or "tiresome",  it isn't stupid or anything else that I could get emotional about, as I am virtually unaffected.