Shopping malls more dangerous than outdoor markets, says pulmonary expert

By THE NATION

 

 

In a Facebook post on Friday, pulmonary disease expert Dr Manoon Leechawengwongs attacked the authorities for allowing shopping complexes and convenience stores to stay open amid the new wave of infections.

 

In his post, the doctor said that the risk of contracting Covid-19 in closed, badly ventilated areas was 10 times higher than in the open air.

 

Hence, he said, closing fresh and flea markets to protect people from the virus was ridiculous. Instead, he said, outdoor markets can be made safter if they are opened up to allow free flow of air and both shoppers and sellers wear medical masks.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30400922

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2021-01-08

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Its easy to control the amount of customers inside a convenience store and they should stay open unlike malls/shopping complexes . 

27 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

outdoor markets can be made safer if they are opened up to allow free flow of air

but outdoor are opened, no need to make adjustments, as in constrained places.

We all know why the malls are remaining open. It has nothing to do with safety. I would have to agree with this guy about the open air fresh food markets. And they are quite essential. 

No complaint here if they bring back all the street vendors and open markets instead of those fancy malls. 

2 minutes ago, internationalism said:

but outdoor are opened, no need to make adjustments, as in constrained places.

They get crowded.  More so than malls or supermarkets,

 

But, Malls are non-essential

5 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

But, Malls are non-essential

But don't they provide air conditioning and window shopping for the poor?

Even if he is right on this, it´s starting to be too much. If all experts were mushrooms, there would be a bit too much of them in this soup.

In Pattaya, the malls  are empty. Rompo market pretty much the same

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Instead, he said, outdoor markets can be made safter if they are opened up to allow free flow of air and both shoppers and sellers wear medical masks

 

from the air pollution ? which is ever present in a lot of Thai cities .. 

Choices , choices : C V in the shopping mall or particulate poisoning in the flea markets .. 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

risk of contracting Covid-19 in closed, badly ventilated areas was 10 times higher than in the open air.

But the chance of cashing in is 10 higher in a shopping mall ????????????

Dr. Manoon must read the same news items that I do. We've always preferred shopping on the village markets.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55435914#:~:text=He says replacing stale air,attracted attention around the world.

1 hour ago, PatOngo said:

But don't they provide air conditioning and window shopping for the poor?

So you assume only 'poor' people use outdoor markets? 555

1 hour ago, PatOngo said:

But don't they provide air conditioning and window shopping for the poor?

yeah those foreigners living on pensions whose currencies have tanked are blocking all the 7/11 doorways to drink cheap beer tend to be annoying, just wish they'd keep their masks on while inside the malls catching their free aircon for the day..

Wow, never have thought that, who'd have thought been out side was safer than inside. Shops all shut UK, pubs, restaurants, schools now and still spreading. Why? Because people keep on popping around their friends for a coffee or night in drinking, not outside, inside.

5 hours ago, Nout said:

So you assume only 'poor' people use outdoor markets? 555

Did I mention outdoor markets?

5 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

yeah those foreigners living on pensions whose currencies have tanked are blocking all the 7/11 doorways to drink cheap beer tend to be annoying, just wish they'd keep their masks on while inside the malls catching their free aircon for the day..

Very sad to see a lifetimes savings and education come down to this!

Makes a mockery that these planners banned street food - when it's far safer to eat outdoors, probably more healthier - and most importantly a great unique attraction to the city.

 

But no they wanted more Burger Kings. 

Why does the government not make it mandatory to have HEPA filters in all air condition system installed, be it the big malls, like TESCO or the 7/11 stores, hotels or others?? Efficient measures to contain the virus are deliberately  ignored!

 

Excerpt from the NASA research "Submicron and Nanoparticulate Matter Removal by HEPA-Rated Media Filters and Packed Beds of Granular Materials"

 

Both HEPA media filters and packed beds of granular material, such as activated carbon, which are both commonly employed for cabin atmosphere purification purposes, are found to have efficacy for removing nanoparticulate contaminants from the cabin atmosphere. When used alone, HEPA-rated media provides superior performance for removing virtually 100% of particulates. However, using these methods in an appropriately combined configuration for removing particulates and gaseous contaminants, consisting of a media filtration component upstream of a packed adsorbent bed component, provides the most effective performance for a broad range of particle sizes including nanoparticulates.

 

source: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20170005166

Logic doesn't apply here. 

Who owns the malls? that's the real variable here. 

15 hours ago, internationalism said:

but outdoor are opened, no need to make adjustments, as in constrained places.

I took the words "if they are opened up" to mean remain open, the text in some of these articles can be a bit suspect at times..

The big one near us was adjusted right in the beginning, it was ring fenced with only one entrance with temperature checking etc. The contact details was dropped as things got easier but when I went last night that has been reintroduced, either by app or fill in the form. All very orderly, didn't see any maskless faces and plenty of distancing, only downside, no beer for sale.

29 minutes ago, fxe1200 said:

Why does the government not make it mandatory to have HEPA filters in all air condition system installed, be it the big malls, like TESCO or the 7/11 stores, hotels or others?? Efficient measures to contain the virus are deliberately  ignored!

 

Excerpt from the NASA research "Submicron and Nanoparticulate Matter Removal by HEPA-Rated Media Filters and Packed Beds of Granular Materials"

 

Both HEPA media filters and packed beds of granular material, such as activated carbon, which are both commonly employed for cabin atmosphere purification purposes, are found to have efficacy for removing nanoparticulate contaminants from the cabin atmosphere. When used alone, HEPA-rated media provides superior performance for removing virtually 100% of particulates. However, using these methods in an appropriately combined configuration for removing particulates and gaseous contaminants, consisting of a media filtration component upstream of a packed adsorbent bed component, provides the most effective performance for a broad range of particle sizes including nanoparticulates.

 

source: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20170005166

One has to assume you have never had any involvement with HEPA filters or the costs involved.

They are only suitable for a relatively clean environment and continual replacement would probably put the companies out of business.

Malls etc do not have the long term close proximity that exists in aircraft.

Holy Mother Duck Batman, read this and let us know if you concur.

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

In his post, the doctor said that the risk of contracting Covid-19 in closed, badly ventilated areas was 10 times higher than in the open air.

 

and that are the "experts" in place

 

FAIL

 

the DRY COOL aircon air is the PROBLEM that dries out your throat mucus that is there to catch virus

 

same as DRY air in the cold western countries because of the HEATING

On 1/9/2021 at 9:43 AM, sandyf said:

One has to assume you have never had any involvement with HEPA filters or the costs involved.

They are only suitable for a relatively clean environment and continual replacement would probably put the companies out of business.

Malls etc do not have the long term close proximity that exists in aircraft.

 

When LIDL can, local super markets can do too!

 

https://www.supermarketnews.com/issues-trends/lidl-upgrades-air-filtration-us-stores-help-prevent-covid-19-spread

1 hour ago, fxe1200 said:

 

When LIDL can, local super markets can do too!

 

https://www.supermarketnews.com/issues-trends/lidl-upgrades-air-filtration-us-stores-help-prevent-covid-19-spread

You are free to believe what you want.

Fortunately the rest of the world does not suffer in the same way and unlikely to be throwing money down the drain.

On 1/8/2021 at 5:50 PM, Yorkshire Tea said:

Malls are non-essential

 

Not if you go there for medicine at a pharmacy and to use the post office.

On 1/8/2021 at 6:42 PM, notnaff said:

In Pattaya, the malls  are empty. Rompo market pretty much the same

Same in Bangkok. Well, not "empty", but certainly very sparsely populated. People are not going out because they don't want to spend money, either because they can't afford it, or in some sectors, like clothing, what's the point? (There's only a very limited amount of impressing yourself in the mirror, or your wife/husband/family/maid.) And of course they are heeding the call to "essential" activities, and social distancing. This will be our lives for the next couple of years, or possibly longer.

On 1/8/2021 at 7:05 PM, from the home of CC said:

yeah those foreigners living on pensions whose currencies have tanked are blocking all the 7/11 doorways to drink cheap beer tend to be annoying, just wish they'd keep their masks on while inside the malls catching their free aircon for the day..

What a nasty, ageist, hate filled post. Why do some people choose this forum to share their mental pain and anguish?