SURVEY: Will Thailand get the virus under control?

[The Hammer2021]

The Thai people will get it under control despite the government!

[EricTh]

Thailand did a great job in containing the 1st and 2nd wave but they did a terrible job for 3rd wave in allowing people to spread out from Bangkok

[cyril sneer]

6 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Thailand did a great job in containing the 1st and 2nd wave but they did a terrible job for 3rd wave in allowing people to spread out from Bangkok

How so? By making it more sunny?

[KhaoYai]

5 hours ago, Kurtf said:

Nope. Not a chance in hell. But not only Thailand but every other country as well in spite of draconian shutdown measures. The new normal is masks forever. LOL

That flies in the face of the results of countries that have in fact, brough the virus under control.

 

I cite the UK for example, yes, the UK.

 

The UK government made a proper hash of things during most of 2020 and the virus went wild.  Our 'leaders' failed to act on advice and wasted vast amounts of time and money on measures that just didn't work. People ignored the rules in full view of the authorities etc. etc. - it was nothing short of a complete shambles. Many European countries experienced the same problems - some faired better, some about the same.  Other countries that had experience of epidemics before did much better.

 

However, the one thing that has been a total game changer in the UK is the vaccine.  From January to now, the difference that having an effective vaccine makes is clear to see. 

 

I would agree that shutdown measures have made little difference in the UK but that's because the perception of a lockdown and what happens in reality are two completely different things. The fact is that the virus cannot spread if people don't mix - if a lockdown is properly applied and adhered to, it will not only work, it will not need to be so long.

[Donga]

4 hours ago, Jaxxper said:

The key to it in my opinion is mass rapid vaccinations of the population of Thailand. Progress appears to have been very slow in this regard to be honest. 

Agree been a slow roll out of the vaccine. Thailand is not alone in this regard.

Until the vaccine program gathers momentum, believe the key is Back to Basics - social distancing, face masks, restrict indoor gatherings (clubs and bars) and protect the vulnerable. The Thais generally are good at this, just the HiSos got tired of it all. Bars, clubs closed, precautions back, contact tracing still possible with the numbers as nothing like Europe, and the health volunteers will help in the provinces. 

I'm hopeful and will be interesting to see which provinces sort it soonest. Expect Bangkok will be last.

[daveAustin]

9 hours ago, tgw said:

meanwhile, France24 just said the AstraZeneca vaccine is only 21% effective against the new strains.

Bring French(?) surprised they didn’t score it 0%. Ask them how the French-made vaccine program is going.

[Albert Zweistein]

8 hours ago, Pilotman said:

To quote Mandy Rice Davies; well they would say that wouldn't they. Jealously knows no bounds when it comes to Macron and his cronies. 

And what would Christine Keeler say to it ?

[rodknock]

not with there covid-19 plans for vaccination!!!!

won't reach herd vaccination the way they are going and pass the responsibility("excuse" to private hospitals and clinics.")

what happens in the areas that do not have private hospitals or clinics????

[Scott]

4 hours ago, polpott said:

Could do a survey of whether people would like to see the return of "World News"

Unfortunately, that will not be possible at that time, but it is missed by many.  Now, let's get to Covid in this topic.

 

[Scott]

4 hours ago, faraday said:

How much do you get paid for these surveys , Scott,?

 

3...2..1.....

 

And my post is gone....no doubt labelled as a troll post.

No, it's not trolling.  Maybe a comment on moderation, though.   Mod's and Admin do not get paid.   But just to keep this on track, let's get back to Covid in Thailand.  

 

[Credo]

I think Thailand is headed toward a taste of the hurt that much of the rest of the world has witnessed.   I don't think it's anybody's fault, it's just almost inevitable when dealing with a highly infectious disease.   

[sammieuk1]

Interesting in what the PM and health minister will do next having totalled the economy with no virus only to be savaged again with the same virus with help from some gyrating girls and a bunch of their own ministers????  

[faraday]

1 hour ago, Credo said:

I think Thailand is headed toward a taste of the hurt that much of the rest of the world has witnessed.   I don't think it's anybody's fault, it's just almost inevitable when dealing with a highly infectious disease.   

 I sincerely hope not. The indifference prayut & et al show, this country could be devastated. 

 

I prey that this stupid virus goes away. Soon.

[faraday]

7 hours ago, placeholder said:

Because, no doubt, it is?

 No, it isn't.

 

Cheers though mate. ????

[polpott]

Just now, faraday said:

 I sincerely hope not. The indifference prayut & et al show, this country could be devastated. 

 

I prey that this stupid virus goes away. Soon.

The only way to beat the virus is through mass vaccination.

 

The issue with the vaccine is that Thailand put all its eggs in one basket. The government had the opportunity to pre purchase sufficient vaccines, last year, to vaccinate the whole population. Instead they were "persuaded" to put the money into one "private" company Siam Bioscience, who promised to not only create a facility to produce enough vaccine to satisfy Thailand's needs but enough to export to other countries.

 

Were AZ conned? Certainly, and there are rumours that they are not best pleased with Thailand. Were the Thai government conned or were they complicit in this particular "boiler room scam"? We'll probably never know.

 

The upshot is Thailand desperately needs 100 million shots of vaccine and have no idea where its going to come from. Siam Bioscience? Zero shots produced and, after several promised start dates, now seems to have fallen off the radar. Will the Thai government get its money returned from Siam Bioscience? They can yodel for that, I'm afraid.

[Odysseus123]

3 hours ago, Credo said:

I think Thailand is headed toward a taste of the hurt that much of the rest of the world has witnessed.   I don't think it's anybody's fault, it's just almost inevitable when dealing with a highly infectious disease.   

Yes,I agree.

It is hard to tell what the future will bring and how predictable it will be.

 

Back to basics (mentioned by another poster) seems a reasonable start.

[Skallywag]

Personal responsibility is key until everyone gets a vaccine.  Social distance, wear a mask, and wash your hands. 

Government can only get virus under "control" by getting and distributing vaccines as quickly as possible.   Have no idea if vaccines are available as so many other countries are getting millions currently.  

Stay safe out there people!   

Traffic deaths already rolling upwards from 1st official day of Songkran.

   

 

 

Edited April 12, 2021 by Skallywag

[Moonlover]

15 hours ago, Kurtf said:

Nope. Not a chance in hell. But not only Thailand but every other country as well in spite of draconian shutdown measures. The new normal is masks forever. LOL

Herd immunity will prevail in the end, even if we do nothing. Covid will eventually become just another of those cold/flu type nuisance virus's that go around in their own natural cycles.

 

Having said that, I do believe that Thailand is well prepared to meet this current wave head on. There is strength in depth in the way that they tackle it and they didn't become No 4 in the world in dealing with this virus without good reason.

[Peter Denis]

2 hours ago, polpott said:

The only way to beat the virus is through mass vaccination.

...

What about strengthening your immune system and applying some common sense?  But the latter seems to be in short supply...

[Antonymous]

15 hours ago, robblok said:

Yes just take Brazil where the government did not do anything its a shining example of how bad it can get when covid deniers get their way.

 

Interesting comment.

 

Deaths per million population (Worldometer):

 

Brazil 1,644

USA 1,731

UK 1,864

[Natai Beach]

3 hours ago, faraday said:

 I sincerely hope not. The indifference prayut & et al show, this country could be devastated. 

 

I prey that this stupid virus goes away. Soon.

unfortunately this UK strain is a lot more infectious than the original Wuhan strain that the Thais successfully beat twice previously. 
 

The UK should have locked themselves down in September last year. But they didn’t. And now it has spread all over the world killing thousands and finishing off thousands of businesses that had been able to just survive the first two waves.

 

A tragedy that was preventable. Now the UK don’t want to share the vaccine.

[jak2002003]

9 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

That flies in the face of the results of countries that have in fact, brough the virus under control.

 

I cite the UK for example, yes, the UK.

 

The UK government made a proper hash of things during most of 2020 and the virus went wild.  Our 'leaders' failed to act on advice and wasted vast amounts of time and money on measures that just didn't work. People ignored the rules in full view of the authorities etc. etc. - it was nothing short of a complete shambles. Many European countries experienced the same problems - some faired better, some about the same.  Other countries that had experience of epidemics before did much better.

 

However, the one thing that has been a total game changer in the UK is the vaccine.  From January to now, the difference that having an effective vaccine makes is clear to see. 

 

I would agree that shutdown measures have made little difference in the UK but that's because the perception of a lockdown and what happens in reality are two completely different things. The fact is that the virus cannot spread if people don't mix - if a lockdown is properly applied and adhered to, it will not only work, it will not need to be so long.

The lockdown us what reduced infections. 

 

Now most people are vaccinated and the lockdown is easing, the cases of infection are on the rise again.

 

Also moat people have only had the first injection so far....and we are told the vaccine does not stop infection, only symptoms....

 

 

[polpott]

Just now, Peter Denis said:

What about strengthening your immune system and applying some common sense?  But the latter seems to be in short supply...

Mitigates spread but the virus doesn't go away. If you believe that herd immunity will occur naturally, you're deluded. It would be the first virus in history where herd immunity was achieved without vaccines.  Try using your common sense.

[robblok]

19 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

 

Interesting comment.

 

Deaths per million population (Worldometer):

 

Brazil 1,644

USA 1,731

UK 1,864

What is more interesting is that people believe the offical death rate in Brazil and think the recording there is on par with USA.

 

They think the actual number of deaths could be double. (according to research)

Also people don't take into account the much younger population in Brazil

 

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.578645/full

 

I guess whatever floats the boat of covid deniers. 

 

[polpott]

Double post.

Edited April 12, 2021 by polpott

[pixelaoffy]

35 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

unfortunately this UK strain is a lot more infectious than the original Wuhan strain that the Thais successfully beat twice previously. 
 

The UK should have locked themselves down in September last year. But they didn’t. And now it has spread all over the world killing thousands and finishing off thousands of businesses that had been able to just survive the first two waves.

 

A tragedy that was preventable. Now the UK don’t want to share the vaccine.

What nonsense ! The vaccine is in European countries production and development paid for by UK.  The EU has failed miserably .total EU disaster

[BangkokReady]

20 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Where was the option to say no government can control COVID.

No need to bash the thai government.

 

Also no option to say it depends if all Thai people are willing to take it seriously again and modify their behavior as though the risk of the virus is real.  The behavior of the average Thai now and at Christmas suggests they aren't doing a lot to try to stop the spread.

[Peter Denis]

26 minutes ago, polpott said:

Mitigates spread but the virus doesn't go away. If you believe that herd immunity will occur naturally, you're deluded. It would be the first virus in history where herd immunity was achieved without vaccines.  Try using your common sense.

The idea that herd immunity could be achieved with mass-vaccination also looks like a pipe-dream according to this March 2021 article in Nature.

      > https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00728-2

Even with vaccination efforts in full force, the theoretical threshold for vanquishing COVID-19 looks to be out of reach.

And the author spells out five reasons why COVID herd immunity is probably impossible:

• It's unclear whether vaccines prevent transmission
• Vaccine roll-out is uneven
• New variants change the herd-immunity equation
• Immunity might not last forever
• Vaccines might change human behavior

 

Five reasons why COVID herd immunity is probably impossible _ Nature - March 2021.pdf

[polpott]

Just now, jak2002003 said:

The lockdown us what reduced infections. 

 

Now most people are vaccinated and the lockdown is easing, the cases of infection are on the rise again.

 

Also moat people have only had the first injection so far....and we are told the vaccine does not stop infection, only symptoms....

 

 

The lockdown did greatly reduce spread but the success in the UK is primarily in vaccinating 50% of the adult population. Infections are not on the rise, they continue to fall. 2584 new infections and 40 deaths yesterday, over 6000 on the 25th March.

 

The first injection gives good levels of protection better than some vaccines after the full dosage. Having vaccinated over 50s and high risk groups, the UK is now concentrating on administering the 2nd dose. Yesterday: 83.5 k given 1st dose, 255k given 2nd dose. 

 

The vaccine produces high levels of immunity, almost as high as the levels of efficacy.

 

 

[Moonlover]

33 minutes ago, polpott said:

Mitigates spread but the virus doesn't go away. If you believe that herd immunity will occur naturally, you're deluded. It would be the first virus in history where herd immunity was achieved without vaccines.  Try using your common sense.

You mean as in Spanish Flu? (more correctly US Army Flu) There were no vaccines around then were there. And what about rhinovirus? There is no vaccine for that either, yet we manage to defend ourselves quite naturally against it.

 

Herd immunity is nature's way and has been protecting us, in the long term, ever since we existed and as @Peter Denis mentioned above, strengthening our own immune system and using common sense is our own best defense.