We have a problem - Thailand's health minister finally admits the inevitable as search for beds continues

[robblok]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Vaccinated countries don't seem to be doing any better!

In your mind maybe, vaccines can have people test positive and contract only how bad it gets is far less. My country is doing great far better then when we were not vaccinated. around 0 deaths for a while and we are not totally vaccinated yet

 

Other countries using Chinese vaccines are not doing as great but still it helps against hospitalisation

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, mancub said:

Regardless of the "varient" isn't it consistently the older/vulnerable members of society that are most at risk of requiring hospitalization. Prioritize this group and perhaps the number of deaths can be better managed. This in itself might help quell some of the hysteria/panic that seems to be spreading nationwide .

Unfortunately you are out of touch with the reality of who this infects and how many of the younger generations require hospitalization for treatment.  Maybe they may not have it as bad, but we have been having deaths of 20 somethings and 30 somethings here in Bangkok.  MY GF's two cousins, aged 23, and 25 are in the hospital on oxygen now.  Their mother has been on a ventilator going on her third week, the rest of the family 10 of the 12 are also hospitalized and they age from 29 to 56.  So covid is an equal age infector, especially this Delta variant. Just like in the US we are seeing it affect the younger ones.

 

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/coronavirus-young-people-hospitalized-covid-19-chart/

 

Of the more than 500 people known to be hospitalized, 18% were 45-54 years and 20% were aged 20-44 years.

Of those admitted to intensive care, 36% were aged 45-64 years and 12% were aged 20-44 years. No ICU admissions were reported among people 19 years or younger.

Edited July 8, 2021 by ThailandRyan

[robblok]

I wonder if the deniers now start to understand why bars had to close. I mean now it is happening people dying at home and in the street the healthcare system is beginning to overload. Add the opening of bars and it would have been much worse higher numbers and even more deaths. 

 

Lockdowns and vaccinations are the only way to go. It sucks but just think what would happen if you were to catch covid and need to be hospitalized and there is no bed. Then all of a sudden the deadliness is a whole lot higher.

[hioctane]

There is no point to test now. It will only prove the obvious, it is spreading like wildfire! Just ramp up vaccinations.

[hioctane]

4 minutes ago, robblok said:

I wonder if the deniers now start to understand why bars had to close. I mean now it is happening people dying at home and in the street the healthcare system is beginning to overload. Add the opening of bars and it would have been much worse higher numbers and even more deaths. 

 

Lockdowns and vaccinations are the only way to go. It sucks but just think what would happen if you were to catch covid and need to be hospitalized and there is no bed. Then all of a sudden the deadliness is a whole lot higher.

Lockdowns were important early on but only for so long. People can only survive for so long without government support. Vaccinations is the only way through now.

[robblok]

Just now, hioctane said:

Lockdowns were important early on but only for so long. People can only survive for so long without government support. Vaccinations is the only way through now.

Its a combination of both and yes the government should support the people more. Scrap the submarines, scrap some military toys and reroute the money to the people that need it.

 

Though im not really optimistic that this will happen. The only way is vaccinations (not shinovax) and lockdowns to prevent contact as much as possible. Without contact the virus spread slower. That is why lockdowns make sens.

 

But as you said people need to live the government must really do this else it wont work.

 

But right now the healthcare system is overloading so every little bit helps to stop that.

[Bluespunk]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand finds itself at a crucial juncture in the fight against Covid-19, suggests ASEAN Now. 

 

And the health minister is central to the ongoing fight. 

Then Thailand is screwed. 

[LarryLEB]

2 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

And now, the Lambda variant is on the loose ……

The Greek alphabet has 24 letters.  Lambda is the fifth variant; epsilon (California), the sixth.   Rhetorical Question:  How many months will it take, I wonder, for the remaining 18 letters to be assigned?

Edited July 8, 2021 by LarryLEB

[BritManToo]

33 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

USA, UK, Singapore, most of Europe?

We're in Asia, posting on an Asean discussion forum. 

[robblok]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

We're in Asia, posting on an Asean discussion forum. 

Yes but they used Shinvox and now even SG is not considering it a choice anymore. Its about quality vaccines not third grade ones. But even shinovax as it might not curb the amount of cases it reduces the hospitalization.

 

I would now even take it and later my moderna as a booster.

 

[rabas]

1 hour ago, mancub said:

Regardless of the "varient" isn't it consistently the older/vulnerable members of society that are most at risk of requiring hospitalization. Prioritize this group and perhaps the number of deaths can be better managed. This in itself might help quell some of the hysteria/panic that seems to be spreading nationwide .

It's spread by, and mutates in the young, not old people sitting at home.

[meechai]

Contrary to popular folklore the US never was overrun hospital ICU wise etc

(except a short burst in NYC where pre existing sickly folks outnumbered healthy folks)

 

Probably because most followed the CDC recommendations of when you get ill

 

 

Quote

 

When to seek emergency medical attention

Look for emergency warning signs* for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone

 

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html

So perhaps Thailand instead of bedding every positive covid test you should instead let people know the truth

Covid is 99+% survivable by most healthy individuals

 

Say what you want or do what you want but these are the facts here in the USA

Only 48% are fully vaccinated (I am not)

https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations?country=USA

 

Yet we are fully reopened tourism booming no probs

 

Take it or leave it that is what it is here in one of the most tourist active States

 

 

 

 

Edited July 8, 2021 by meechai

[fondue zoo]

What happened to the Czar, who took over all things Covid not that long ago?

[BobinBKK]

Other than comic relief during this time of crisis, I honestly don't understand why the media wastes time on anything he has to say...

[wensiensheng]

16 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

We're in Asia, posting on an Asean discussion forum. 

Perhaps you forgot your initial broad sweeping statement.

 

“Vaccinated countries don't seem to be doing any better!”

 

you make no mention of the fact you were referring to ASEAN countries only. When asked whether you were referring to deaths/hospitalizations or cases you simply posted an article about Indonesia, which has a low vaccination rate.

 

when I referred you to three countries which have high vaccination rates, you deflect by saying that we are in Asia and imply that we are only talking about asean countries, which contradicts your initial post. And btw, Singapore which was one of the three countries I mentioned, is in Asia and a member of ASEAN.

 

the fact of the matter is, countries with high vaccination rates are doing MUCH better against Covid in terms of hospitalizations and deaths. 
 

your initial statement was false.

 

Unless you now wish to claim you were referring to cases? Or can provide facts that show countries with high vaccination rates perform just as poorly in respect of hospitalizations/deaths, as those with low vaccination rates?

 

 

[Scott]

Conspiracy post removed.  

 

[FarFlungFalang]

Houston we have a problem, the health minister is central to the ongoing fight. 

[digibum]

11 minutes ago, meechai said:

Covid is 99+% survivable by most healthy individuals

But what do you mean by “survivable”?   
 

One of my Thai friends got it about a year ago when she was living in the US.  She’s in her 30s, seemingly in good physical shape.
 

But she was on a ventilator for almost a month and says that even today she doesn’t feel she has 100% of her lung capacity back.  
 

She would have died without the ventilator. And who knows what the long term impact on her health will be.  
 

Im not saying that we all need to freak out at every a symptomatic case, but your response sounds rather flippant.  
 

As much as some are overreacting like Covid is a death sentence, downplaying the severity and claiming healthy people shouldn’t be concerned is equally unhelpful.  

[wasabi]

Seems like every flaw in Thai logic has arisen when dealing with the pandemic.

Edited July 8, 2021 by wasabi

[Cake Monster]

This is a statement from a person who has been in a Coma for a long time.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

And the health minister is central to the ongoing fight. 

Now !That is one scary thought.

[Blumpie]

I'd be very surprised if Thailand doesn't run out of oxygen.  

These guys don't care.  

[meechai]

14 minutes ago, digibum said:

But what do you mean by “survivable”?   
 

One of my Thai friends got it about a year ago when she was living in the US.  She’s in her 30s, seemingly in good physical shape.
 

 

As much as some are overreacting like Covid is a death sentence, downplaying the severity and claiming healthy people shouldn’t be concerned is equally unhelpful.  

Well those are the facts 99.xx% survivable

I am sorry if your friend had it hard some do

Did you know in 2018 pre covid the death rate in Thailand for flu & pneumonia was roughly 122 per DAY?

https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/thailand-influenza-pneumonia

 

Again those are the facts

As for overreacting...well when it cripples your medical emergency systems with non emergency cases then yes that is in fact an over reaction

 

I never said anyone was unconcerned but like yelling FIRE in a crowded theater it does not help anything to be crazy

 

I am saying I am living in one of the most visited US States I am telling you this is what the reality is here...Fact

 

Lastly I will also say we have a home in Thailand & lived there when this started in 2019

My sister in law lost taste & smell & had a high fever for a few days in Jan 2020 I also felt I had pneumonia

So I am also saying unlike the Thai party line of no covid in 2019-2020 I say yes Thailand has always had it but never tested for it

 

So why were hospitals all fine in 2019 & 2020?

 

Anyway good luck to you all there....We are seeing here in the USA the reality is a bit different than portrayed in the media

But do what you think best

 

 

Edited July 8, 2021 by meechai

[wasabi]

7 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

I'd be very surprised if Thailand doesn't run out of oxygen.  

These guys don't care.  

The people in charge certainly have run out of brain cells.

[Dogmatix]

He only had 18 months to prepare for this possibility.

[Dogmatix]

11 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

I'd be very surprised if Thailand doesn't run out of oxygen.  

These guys don't care.  

It is a stone cold racing certainty they will run out of oxygen just like India and now Indonesia. That will give opportunities for televised donations of a small number of oxygen bottles for PR porposes.

[club]

Expect to hear the opposite tomorrow from another official

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, mancub said:

Regardless of the "varient" isn't it consistently the older/vulnerable members of society that are most at risk of requiring hospitalization. Prioritize this group and perhaps the number of deaths can be better managed. This in itself might help quell some of the hysteria/panic that seems to be spreading nationwide .

But that is not what happens..... I know many older Thais who have yet to have a single jab. The prioritization is based on how much scrambled egg you have on your chest.... not age. Who you know... or to be part of a misguided sandbox project. We saw 18 yo military conscripts being fast tracked.... while their grandparents remain at risk. My Mrs brother just got sorted....  applied around Bangkok but best solution, his wife works at a cancer hospital. Yes she registered him and he got jabbed, about 40 YO. Connections and who you know......

Edited July 8, 2021 by jacko45k

[digibum]

2 minutes ago, meechai said:

Well those are the facts 99.xx% survivable

I think you missed my point.  
 

Even today, my friend’s respiratory functions are not back to normal.  
 

We have no idea what the long-term impact of this virus is.  And simply writing the word “fact” after you say something does not change that.  
 

Survival but temporarily or permanently impaired is quit different than the picture that you’re painting.  
 

In the future we could find out that people who got Covid and “survived” end up dying 10 years sooner on average than people who never got it.  We won’t know that for decades.  
 

That’s what I mean by asking what “survive” means.  
 

Yes, I understand that we can’t base everything on speculation over the long-term health impact, but downplaying the severity of it, is equally unhelpful.  
 

And I do agree that overreaction is problematic.  However, so is underplaying the severity of it.  
 

Yes, some of the actions have been draconian.  But, it’s also the people that don’t take it seriously who tend to be spreaders.   
 

In a perfect world, scientists, not politicians, would formulate a plan to minimize spread, bolster defenses via vaccines, and control resources to minimize the impact.  
 

It reminds me of a software problem I once worked on.  To get to zero defects, the only answer was to over-engineer the solution to the point where it wasn’t financially viable.  So, we asked for a defect rate that was acceptable and aimed at that defect rate rather than some mythical zero defect rate.  
 

We know the inputs and outputs of this situation.  We can estimate the spread and fatality rate with zero preventative measures.  
 

We also can estimate the spread snd fatality rate under strict lockdown.  
 

The goal is to aim for somewhere in the middle of those two extremes that doesn’t overload the healthcare system.  

[meechai]

8 minutes ago, digibum said:

I think you missed my point.  
 

No not really & yes I wrote fact because that is what it is here fact

Yes your friend as I said was a hard case...there are many & many deaths too

Remember I gave you the stat of 122 dead EVERY DAY in 2018 Thailand due to Flu & Pneumonia that was also fact

Yes many dies from Covid that is also fact

 

Meanwhile

Today in France where 51% are vaccinated thousand are on Mt Ventoux cheering on the Tor De France...no masks

Yet their hospitals are not overrun .....Fact...Life goes on

The truth of the matter is that pandemics always end.

And to date vaccines have never played a significant role in ending them. (That doesn’t mean vaccines aren’t playing a critical role this time. Far fewer people will die from Covid-19 because of them.)

But they end because we adapt & the pandemics become endemic as always

 

Edited July 8, 2021 by meechai

[BritManToo]

48 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Unless you now wish to claim you were referring to cases? Or can provide facts that show countries with high vaccination rates perform just as poorly in respect of hospitalizations/deaths, as those with low vaccination rates?

Another for my ignore list,

This is an Asean discussion forum, I live in Thailand, no need to specify I'm talking about Asean countries. Go troll a European forum.

 

Goodbye.

Edited July 8, 2021 by BritManToo