Image: PPHO

 

By The Phuket News

 

PHUKET: A British national who arrived on the island under the Phuket Sandbox tourism scheme has been confirmed as the latest Sandbox tourist to test positive since arriving on the island.

 

Phuket Provincial Public Health Office Chief Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon confirmed the latest infection during a press conference chaired by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew broadcast live this morning (July 21).

 

“Since the outbreak in April, we have 839 infected cases in Phuket and 19 cases among Phuket Sandbox arrivals,” Dr Kusak said.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/british-man-phuket-latest-sandbox-infected-case-80765.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2021-07-21

 

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How soon preflight is the covid test? Seems odd to arrive and be positive straight away, unless he cheated the test

pre=flight test has to be taken within 72 hours of departure from initial airport, the 72 hr is supposed  to be a strict deadline, Thai embassy has posted that 72 hrs and 15 minutes is not acceptable

1 hour ago, ourmanflint said:

How soon preflight is the covid test? Seems odd to arrive and be positive straight away, unless he cheated the test

How accurate is testing? How fast are infection rates? It is very common for people be infected or found to be infected after testing negative. 'Gold Standard' testing takes several hours during which time people can become infected

12 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

How soon preflight is the covid test? Seems odd to arrive and be positive straight away, unless he cheated the test

these test are not 100% accurate

The last place I'd want to be with an opportunistic, virulent disease is on a cramped airplane. On a long flight all it takes is one carrier and everyone who uses the bathroom is potentially infected. (as if plane toilets weren't already nasty enough on long flights)

13 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

How soon preflight is the covid test? Seems odd to arrive and be positive straight away, unless he cheated the test

You're assuming that a vaccination makes you 100% immune?

Get real.

2 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

You're assuming that a vaccination makes you 100% immune?

Get real.

Some people will not understand Covid until they are in a ICU.

that's bummer for tens, maybe hundreds in the same flight with him. And air plane crews on both legs. 

All have to quarantine, with insurance money.

That statistic is also an additional occupied hotel beds for TAT figures

22 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

You're assuming that a vaccination makes you 100% immune?

Get real.

Strange comment, his post has nothing to do with vaccination.

6 minutes ago, internationalism said:

that's bummer for tens, maybe hundreds in the same flight with him. And air plane crews on both legs. 

All have to quarantine, with insurance money.

That statistic is also an additional occupied hotel beds for TAT figures

No, not true. Those in high risk area around the man would have to quarantine, and no, insurance will not cover. And since beds have been booked already for 14 days there are no additional beds booked.

Good to catch a positive on arrival and not on a day 5 or 9 hotel test - 120 plus hours to eat at 10-15 different restaurants, quite a spreader event...... 'the high risk sandbox scheme'

22 minutes ago, stevenl said:

No, not true. Those in high risk area around the man would have to quarantine, and no, insurance will not cover. And since beds have been booked already for 14 days there are no additional beds booked.

interesting. I have 3 insurances, 2 do cover quarantine, hospitel, hospital. The third gives 200k bht on testing positive.

I have thought ALQ are different from the SHA+, with much more stringent rules. And with all meals, so all inclusive package.

 

From the previous infected flight, all 14 passengers had to be quarantines, not only those high risk seating close to him. 

 

This article from yesterday says, that thai and international tourists should have a specific covid cover and that some of them didn't have, to cover also quarantine

https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-sandbox-tourists-reminded-to-have-covid-insurance-80767.php

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Strange comment, his post has nothing to do with vaccination.

This is all about understanding a transmissible/virus/flu, and why a vaccination is the most important thing to have.  Bottom Line - "New Normal"  should stress that those who are vaccinated do not need hospitalization or are threatened with death 

For decades now people in the USA have been received vaccines yearly for swine and avian flus.... But many people still get "infected" with the flu. 

 

Covid is not going to be "eradicated" 100% ever.  

 

Point is if everyone in Phuket is vaccinated, those who do test positive for Covid and are not symptomatic have no reason to be quarantined, as even if they infect someone else, those people will NOT be in danger of hospitalization or death as they are vaccinated as well.  

As hotchillli said, "You're assuming that a vaccination makes you 100% immune?"

 

That is never going to happen in our world IMO.   

Governments / airlines / Hotels and tourist destinations need to understand that 100% no Covid infections will never happen

 

55 minutes ago, internationalism said:

interesting. I have 3 insurances, 2 do cover quarantine, hospitel, hospital. The third gives 200k bht on testing positive.

I have thought ALQ are different from the SHA+, with much more stringent rules. And with all meals, so all inclusive package.

 

From the previous infected flight, all 14 passengers had to be quarantines, not only those high risk seating close to him. 

 

This article from yesterday says, that thai and international tourists should have a specific covid cover and that some of them didn't have, to cover also quarantine

https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-sandbox-tourists-reminded-to-have-covid-insurance-80767.php

No insurance covers 'sitting in close proximity to someone positive and then having to go to ALQ even though having tested negative', the only exception maybe the AIG cover as offered by Emirates.

You said the number of bed bookings would be increased by this, now you're throwing in ALQ and SHA+ is different. Yes, different, but no change to number of bed bookings.

There have been infections on previous flights, same row and 1 or 2m don't recall, in front and back were sent to ALQ. Still a strange policy, but far from 'the whole pane' as you claim.

8 minutes ago, Skallywag said:

This is all about understanding a transmissible/virus/flu, and why a vaccination is the most important thing to have.  Bottom Line - "New Normal"  should stress that those who are vaccinated do not need hospitalization or are threatened with death 

For decades now people in the USA have been received vaccines yearly for swine and avian flus.... But many people still get "infected" with the flu. 

 

Covid is not going to be "eradicated" 100% ever.  

 

Point is if everyone in Phuket is vaccinated, those who do test positive for Covid and are not symptomatic have no reason to be quarantined, as even if they infect someone else, those people will NOT be in danger of hospitalization or death as they are vaccinated as well.  

As hotchillli said, "You're assuming that a vaccination makes you 100% immune?"

 

That is never going to happen in our world IMO.   

Governments / airlines / Hotels and tourist destinations need to understand that 100% no Covid infections will never happen

 

Agree with you there, but that is not related to my reply to another poster, who was looking for some negativity to throw in. Since it wasn't there he just made it up.

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

No, not true. Those in high risk area around the man would have to quarantine, and no, insurance will not cover. And since beds have been booked already for 14 days there are no additional beds booked.

But you forget the magical counting employed by TAT. (1)

 

 

1 hour ago, CANSIAM said:

Good to catch a positive on arrival and not on a day 5 or 9 hotel test - 120 plus hours to eat at 10-15 different restaurants, quite a spreader event...... 'the high risk sandbox scheme'

Are there 15-20 restaurants open in Phuket?

 

 

4 minutes ago, stevenl said:

No insurance covers 'sitting in close proximity to someone positive and then having to go to ALQ even though having tested negative', the only exception maybe the AIG cover as offered by Emirates.

You said the number of bed bookings would be increased by this, now you're throwing in ALQ and SHA+ is different. Yes, different, but no change to number of bed bookings.

There have been infections on previous flights, same row and 1 or 2m don't recall, in front and back were sent to ALQ. Still a strange policy, but far from 'the whole pane' as you claim.

But you forget the magical counting employed by TAT. (2)

Given that "booking nights" was translated into "number of tourist arrivals", I would not be the least bit surprised to see the same alchemy applied to SHA+ & ALQ.

10 minutes ago, samtam said:

But you forget the magical counting employed by TAT. (1)

 

 

Are there 15-20 restaurants open in Phuket?

 

 

But you forget the magical counting employed by TAT. (2)

Given that "booking nights" was translated into "number of tourist arrivals", I would not be the least bit surprised to see the same alchemy applied to SHA+ & ALQ.

So you don't know about Phuket nor numbers, and are making things up.

Just now, stevenl said:

So you don't know about Phuket nor numbers, and are making things up.

Bit like the reporting on Phuket?

18 minutes ago, samtam said:

But you forget the magical counting employed by TAT. (1)

 

 

Are there 15-20 restaurants open in Phuket?

 

 

But you forget the magical counting employed by TAT. (2)

Given that "booking nights" was translated into "number of tourist arrivals", I would not be the least bit surprised to see the same alchemy applied to SHA+ & ALQ.

Patong,Karon,Kata,Rawai = 15 yes.....

43 minutes ago, Skallywag said:

This is all about understanding a transmissible/virus/flu, and why a vaccination is the most important thing to have.  Bottom Line - "New Normal"  should stress that those who are vaccinated do not need hospitalization or are threatened with death 

For decades now people in the USA have been received vaccines yearly for swine and avian flus.... But many people still get "infected" with the flu. 

 

Covid is not going to be "eradicated" 100% ever.  

 

Point is if everyone in Phuket is vaccinated, those who do test positive for Covid and are not symptomatic have no reason to be quarantined, as even if they infect someone else, those people will NOT be in danger of hospitalization or death as they are vaccinated as well.  

As hotchillli said, "You're assuming that a vaccination makes you 100% immune?"

 

That is never going to happen in our world IMO.   

Governments / airlines / Hotels and tourist destinations need to understand that 100% no Covid infections will never happen

 

Scientists could create a single vaccine that fights multiple coronaviruses within 5 years, potentially preventing the next pandemic, an expert says

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/scientists-could-create-a-single-vaccine-that-fights-multiple-coronaviruses-within-5-years-potentially-preventing-the-next-pandemic-an-expert-says/ar-AAM8IXN?li=BBnb7Kz

My understanding of the rules for the  "Sandbox" arrivals in Phuket was that they all had to be "fully vaccinated" prior to arrival, but not that they had to have a negative covid test within 72 hours of checking in for the flight.

Of course, as we know, if they were "fully vaccinated" with the Sinovac then there'd still be a 50/50 chance (more or less) that they could still be infected, just as there is still a chance that anyone "full vaccinated" with a better vaccine (or combination of them) could still be infected.

None of them are a 100% guarantee.

One must also consider the possibility that people are fudging/falsifying/forging various vaccination certificates, just as they've been caught (in Thailand and other places) with fake/forged "proof of negative covid test" certificates on arrival.

For over a year there have been a lot of desperate people (mostly Western males) trying to get back to Thailand for various reasons. A lot cheaper to get a fake vaccination/test certificate than spend 2 weeks in an quarantine hotel.

(Waiting for the howls of "People from "my" country would never do anything like that" from people who haven't bothered to check if that's true or not.)

13 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

Patong,Karon,Kata,Rawai = 15 yes.....

Sorry, I read too much into the latest announcement from the Governor of Phuket:

....as of today, restaurants can indeed still open, until 9 pm.

13 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

My understanding of the rules for the  "Sandbox" arrivals in Phuket was that they all had to be "fully vaccinated" prior to arrival, but not that they had to have a negative covid test within 72 hours of checking in for the flight.

Of course, as we know, if they were "fully vaccinated" with the Sinovac then there'd still be a 50/50 chance (more or less) that they could still be infected, just as there is still a chance that anyone "full vaccinated" with a better vaccine (or combination of them) could still be infected.

None of them are a 100% guarantee.

One must also consider the possibility that people are fudging/falsifying/forging various vaccination certificates, just as they've been caught (in Thailand and other places) with fake/forged "proof of negative covid test" certificates on arrival.

For over a year there have been a lot of desperate people (mostly Western males) trying to get back to Thailand for various reasons. A lot cheaper to get a fake vaccination/test certificate than spend 2 weeks in an quarantine hotel.

(Waiting for the howls of "People from "my" country would never do anything like that" from people who haven't bothered to check if that's true or not.)

So your understanding was not correct. PCR before flight required, and 3 more in country. Are you implying male westerners are forging the results of those 4 tests?

5 minutes ago, stevenl said:

So your understanding was not correct. PCR before flight required, and 3 more in country. Are you implying male westerners are forging the results of those 4 tests?

No, I'm saying that people have been forging them and no doubt some of them are male westerners. Sheesh, when Canada first implemented a "negative covid test" requirement last February, in less than a week they'd arrested numerous people (mostly from the UK if I recall) who were caught using forged/faked documents.
And I never said they were forging test results "in country". 

So, are you trying to say that "male westerners" would never do such a thing ? Or are you just trolling ? 

 

 

 

Is the man ill? Is he infectious? Dozens of people are in various degree isolating associated with the Olympics starting this week. Many of them departed their country with negative tests and are positive in Tokyo, being tested frequently. Some twiddling their thumbs perfectly fine. There is variability  in the test cycles methods. From what I'm reading each case is individually looked at some may still compete.  PCR tests are a tool. One positive result never designed to diagnose or determine if the subject is in a infectious stage. The sandbox model assumes there will be some arrival cases and they have a system to manage them and treat, if necessary. All must learn to live with it. Even close the country forever, it is here already. Here and not going away.  

 

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/APHL-COVID19-Ct-Values.pdf

1 hour ago, CANSIAM said:

Patong,Karon,Kata,Rawai = 15 yes.....

Sarcastic answer, I thought the question  "are 15-20 restaurants open in Phuket?" was sarcastic........

5 hours ago, MasterBaker said:

these test are not 100% accurate

Quite correct, Singapore has done away with this type of test because it is unreliable and so have a few other countries .

17 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

How soon preflight is the covid test? Seems odd to arrive and be positive straight away, unless he cheated the test

Not at all - thats why further tests are carried out. 

 

Covid can remain ‘dormant’ for 5 days (reportedly).

 

Thus a test 72 hrs before flight will identify most, but not all cases. 

A test on arrival will identify nearly all cases but is not 100% water tight

A test on day 6/7 will identify the rare cases where the incubation period of Covid-19 in that particular person was longer than 5 days. 

In the rarest of cases the day 12 test may pick up Covid-19 not already identified in earlier tests. 

 

There is also the possibility of false positives - in this case I would hope that any positive test results in a followup confirmation test.

 

4 hours ago, internationalism said:

that's bummer for tens, maybe hundreds in the same flight with him. And air plane crews on both legs. 

All have to quarantine, with insurance money.

That statistic is also an additional occupied hotel beds for TAT figures

No they don’t... This misinformation has been spread from the very first report of Sandboxers testing positive. 

 

A few weeks ago a report stated 'another 13 people in the flight were also sent to ALQ (quarantine)’  generated confusion, the reality is ONLY the 13 people in the same tour group were quarantined, there were 176 people on that flight (Emirates from Dubai to Phuket) - the whole flight was NOT sent to quarantine. 

 

Thus: We can stop this misinformation now: IF a ’Sandboxer' tests positive upon arrival in Phuket (or at any period during their Sandbox period) everyone else who travelled on the same flight does not have to go into ALQ (isolation).