For whatever  reason, in their own inimitable way, Thailand has controlled the virus and life has been pretty relatively normal here throughout the last year.   I've appreciated being here rather than in the USA.  

 

I would not be surprised if they manage to mostly limit this outbreak also.  

 

Let's face it, every country has had their political and structural weaknesses challenged by the virus and the vaccine rollout is  a good example of that here.  But they have also done a lot right and better than most countries.  

13 hours ago, internationalism said:

so alcohol in restaurants will stay, just limited hours.

what time are they allowed to start serving it?

It says no alcohol to be served in restaurants!

it is sure as hell is coming no sex will they put a spy unit in each house to catch the law breakers?

23 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Not hard to find Google this "why has the flu disappeared" first page full of results.

 

Due to influenza’s short incubation period and widespread population immunity, the measures used to stop the spread of COVID-19 also caused flu activity to drastically drop.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-the-flu-season-basically-disappeared-this-year#What-drove-down-flu-activity?

 

However yes I agree before covid came along the world got on with their lives despite the risks of flu, covid may well turn into a similar type of yearly seasonal risk, always in the background but not yet, its new and ravaging the world and thats why all these measure are in place.

 

 

I think if you google some more you'll find the correct answer is that the human body can only manage one virus at a time and the more dominant virus excludes the lesser variety. It seems that if the covid virus has already entered a persons system the flu virus is unable to take hold also, perhaps because the immune system has already become primed and the body's defenses are strong.

2 minutes ago, Brierley said:

I think if you google some more you'll find the correct answer is that the human body can only manage one virus at a time and the more dominant virus excludes the lesser variety. It seems that if the covid virus has already entered a persons system the flu virus is unable to take hold also, perhaps because the immune system has already become primed and the body's defenses are strong.

I've never heard of that before but sounds logical. That and the other reasons stated in my post. 

20 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Been over one year since Covid hit.

Along came the Doom and Gloom predictions of hospitals filled to overflowing, people dead in the gutter, starvation, rampant crime ...

Where is it ?

Now in year two and we STILL hear the same stories - Oh, because of a new strain ...

Listen to yourselves - do you even read what you post ?

Or just jump on the bandwagon and spout all the conspiracy theories you have heard on social media, or that your cat whispers to you in the night.

Pitiful

One reason the hospitals are not over run is because of the controls put in place.

 

Perhaps you should avoid social media?

22 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Can anyone explain why it is safe to shop at 20.55 but not at 21.05? Same policy followed worldwide. The planet has gone insane.

The planet has gone insane because of a global pandemic that's killing millions and leaving millions more with long term consequences.

 

Where have you been?

How many people have died recently from the latest "outbreak"?  That is the only pertinent question in this insanity.  Everything else is just believing the WHO dog chasing its tail!!

12 minutes ago, Brierley said:

I think if you google some more you'll find the correct answer is that the human body can only manage one virus at a time and the more dominant virus excludes the lesser variety. It seems that if the covid virus has already entered a persons system the flu virus is unable to take hold also, perhaps because the immune system has already become primed and the body's defenses are strong.

 And what we're routinely seeing now is that there are people with three, four, in some cases five different virus infections. So, while it's probably true that you will get this very powerful immune response, including the release of this chemical interferon when you have a virus infection, it's also true that you are not put into a completely resistant state and you can succumb to multiple viruses at once.

 

https://tinyurl.com/y3hdoqnv

Some posts discussing acronym usage have been removed.  This is a forum, not an SMS or Twitter message.

 

Some grammar police posts have been removed. 

37 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Can anyone explain why it is safe to shop at 20.55 but not at 21.05? Same policy followed worldwide. The planet has gone insane.

Maybe that is because the policy works.  Not much due to the shopping itself, but it is effective just because such restrictions influence many people to stay a home more and not party in late night large groups. 

2 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

Yes.  2 masks will help.  And no, it won't stop the flow of oxygen.  Ridiculous.

Just curios, How many masks are you wearing? And are you still alive?

No Sexy Tour ?  No travel bubbles? No investors? No International Travellers? No tourists, and No tourists, and No Tourists!.

 

Its finally hitting the building industry hard.  Workers, sharing with supervisors, who share it with the project managers and Project Directors..... next stop headquarters and off to the Ministries and the Palace. 

 

Let the bodies hit the floor.  The madness continues when the survivors suffer brain disorders and behavioral psychosis...

 

Predictions for the next strain of mutation and potency? 

 

 

 

 

9 hours ago, Petey11 said:

It's taken UK nearly four months and vaccine rollout in high numbers to contain this UK variant. Also saw I think it was a Turkish minister commenting on tourism in his country been asked why they were opening up to tourists in the current wave they have, his reply " We think this variant cannot be controlled by lockdowns alone, we need vaccination too, so what difference is letting tourists in when we have high infections". Take what you want from his comment.

Peak in the uk was in January.  So it didn't take four months.  Cases have been falling for 4 months and are now at low levels.

 

Vaccines work in Israel too - and the UK variant dominated there. The small country had several thousand cases per day in late 2020.. now barely 200. Per capita that would be about 1200 in Thailand 

9 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Cow Manure

It is because this whole mess has been blown WAY out of proportion from the getgo

 

I'd say the relatives and friends of the 3MM who've died so far might argue with you about that.  Far from cow manure. 

7 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

Just curios, How many masks are you wearing? And are you still alive?

I social distance, don't go to bars/pubs/etc.  One mask for me.  And I'm still alive.  How about you?

11 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Please don't shut the schools. I just paid for the next term before the holidays and between term holidays, public holidays and covid shutdowns she's never there.

 

 

Oh I hear you. Stuck at home with 2 x 5 year old boys going mental. Even one more week I will hang myself ????

Gatherings of 50.

 

When will they learn that isolation works better when the number is ONE.

10 minutes ago, eyup said:

'"Chile sees Covid surge despite vaccination success"   (BBC)"

 

Read the article fully rather than scaremongering!

 

"Critics have accused the Piñera government of getting caught up in triumphalism over the vaccine rollout and of having loosened coronavirus restrictions too fast."

 

 

Chile's borders had been closed - bar for a few exceptions - from March to November 2020. But after a strict lockdown had driven the rolling seven-day average down to 1,300 cases in November, the decision was taken to reopen them, including to international tourists.

Chileans were also given special holiday permits to travel more freely around the country during the southern hemisphere summer holidays after some experts argued it was important for people's mental health.

Restaurants, shops, and holiday resorts were opened up to kickstart the faltering economy."

"And while the vaccination rollout has indeed been fast, it only started in late December, with front-line health care workers, those over 90, and teachers first in line.

 

So the vast majority of Chileans would not yet have been vaccinated by the time they met up with relatives and friends for their summer holidays in January and February."

One other part that we often forget when looking at vaccination rates:

Chile has mostly used Sinovac, which does not have the same protection as Pfizer, Moderna or AZ.

Israel - mostly Pfizer and very few deaths and infections 

UK mostly AZ and a similar situation with more than 45 % having at least one dose.

USA- mostly Pfizer and Moderna and deaths have been declining steadily since early January. 

13 hours ago, YetAnother said:

total bozos; you dont do this in the middle of songkran when bangkok is empty ! should have cancelled songkran; TOTAL idiots

But look at all those extra infringement notices they got to issue.

30% for not having a license.

28% for DIU.

 

All that extra revenue will help pay for vaccine

(Maybe).

 

All for an estimated Infection Fatality Rate according to the WHO of just 0.2% overall. That's a 99.8% survival rate if you get the virus. Much lower IFR for the under 60s.

Naturally, the elderly and with other health issues might wish to take extra precautions.

https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/99/1/20-265892/en/

[Scroll down to last paragraph just above "Funding."]

6 minutes ago, dallen52 said:

But look at all those extra infringement notices they got to issue.

30% for not having a license.

28% for DIU.

 

All that extra revenue will help pay for vaccine

(Maybe).

 

Let us be a bit more accurate: all that extra revenue will help them pay for their vaccination - you know how it goes here.

Some troll posts and the replies have been removed. 

1 hour ago, Jeffr2 said:

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Can anyone explain why it is safe to shop at 20.55 but not at 21.05? Same policy followed worldwide. The planet has gone insane.

The planet has gone insane because of a global pandemic that's killing millions and leaving millions more with long term consequences.

 

Where have you been?

 

That doesn't address my question. Which was why is it safe to shop at 20.55 and not at 21.05.

15 hours ago, Excel said:

Shut the whole country down with obviously some exceptions such as Government Ministers with their mia nois, mia nois in their own gifted car willing to give freebies to the police, those that drive cars valued more than 15 million baht, those that give bribes to anybody in government and of course anybody else who can say whilst drunk in their car "do you know who I am".  That should cover most.

 

You get us.  We need more like you here. 

52 minutes ago, PGSan said:

Maybe that is because the policy works.  Not much due to the shopping itself, but it is effective just because such restrictions influence many people to stay a home more and not party in late night large groups. 

 

I agree such policies help.   Not because anything magical happens at 9pm, but just because it 'generally' helps.   Just like the no alcohol sales policy between 2 and 5pm, it's not meant to get rid of your alcohol problem, you're probably still an alcoholic, it just 'generally' keeps you a bit more sober and keeps that beverage out of your car between 2 and 5pm (when kids are getting out of school).... I know that not allowing alcohol sales in gas station convenient stores was a serious and effective 'c*ck block' as far as my own drinking and driving habits were concerned.   

How utterly <deleted> creative. Colouring book each morning. 

All of this will ends as soon as the last vial of vaccine is shot. But it will be just a temporary respite, because further vaccination campaigns  will follow in the upcoming  years due to the variants. Therefore it won't be over with this stage of vaccination ,they will fill us with vaccines, know that.

And it's not conspiracy, no gentlemen. These things was said by the Italian Prime minister, and if he said that is because he knows.

So no conspiracy at all,  I'm just referring to what I heard from the main streaming media

3 minutes ago, fleccer said:

All of this will ends as soon as the last vial of vaccine is shot. But it will be just a temporary respite, because further vaccination campaigns  will follow in the upcoming  years due to the variants. Therefore it won't be over with this stage of vaccination ,they will fill us with vaccines, know that.

And it's not conspiracy, no gentlemen. These things was said by the Italian Prime minister, and if he said that is because he knows.

So no conspiracy at all,  I'm just referring to what I heard from the main streaming media

It's been well known that further vaccines might be necessary.  We've got a long way to go before this is over.  But vaccines are the way to go.  Sad some don't understand this.

1 hour ago, Surelynot said:

 And what we're routinely seeing now is that there are people with three, four, in some cases five different virus infections. So, while it's probably true that you will get this very powerful immune response, including the release of this chemical interferon when you have a virus infection, it's also true that you are not put into a completely resistant state and you can succumb to multiple viruses at once.

 

https://tinyurl.com/y3hdoqnv

I am was wrong, now that I've done some reading on the subject it seems the article I read previously on this subject was a load of tosh! Sorry.