Phuket hospitals are nearing full capacity as new infections surge

[Mavideol]

I need to drive to Phuket next week and would like to know if I still need a negative test to enter, thanks for the feed back

[sbf]

9 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

I need to drive to Phuket next week and would like to know if I still need a negative test to enter, thanks for the feed back

Check for latest updates before you go, but as of yesterday and until September 14th I believe you need

 

a negative PCR or Rapid Antigen test - you can get this done just before the checkpoint at the Phuket Gateway - 500baht, I did one there yesterday

 

Also vaccination either ( 1 dose if AZ, Pfizer or 2 doses if Sonovac or Sinopharm  + 14 days for both) 

 

And proof of Phuket residency - so In your passport a nitification of address in Phuket, unless you are a sandboxer returning for your flight out. 

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, sbf said:

Check for latest updates before you go, but as of yesterday and until September 14th I believe you need

 

a negative PCR or Rapid Antigen test - you can get this done just before the checkpoint at the Phuket Gateway - 500baht, I did one there yesterday

 

Also vaccination either ( 1 dose if AZ, Pfizer or 2 doses if Sonovac or Sinopharm  + 14 days for both) 

 

And proof of Phuket residency - so In your passport a nitification of address in Phuket, unless you are a sandboxer returning for your flight out. 

thanks, going there for doctors visit, no residency there, will get rapid antigen to be on the safe

[Trujillo]

 

Quote

 

  6 hours ago, hioctane said:

Vaccines don't prevent infection

yes it does

 

No. Nothing can prevent a virus from entering your system; it's what happens after that, that matters. Ideally, when vaccination takes hold, after a virus enters your system (at which point you are infected), your body knows how to deal with it, and dispatches it so that there is not enough viral load to pass on, and you do not become ill. 
Unfortunately, for this current situation, this is not what's happening, at least in some cases. If vaccines prevented infection in the way I gather you assume they work, we would not see any "breakthrough" cases, yet we see them now. Look at the data out of Israel as a starting point in your research. 

 

As for antigen tests, a local, large chain pharmacy here has a sign (in Thai only) that says they will not sell antigen test kits. I asked why and the answer was: "The manager doesn't want sick people coming into the store," ... yet they sell ivermectin.... go figure. 

[edwarda909]

So in a month we get to watch all of this play out again as Chiang Mai opens.  I wish the doctors had the spine to stand up to the politicians in CM and say, "STOP!!!  Get a plan for 85% herd immunity and find a way to control passage into the province." But won't happen.

[edwarda909]

5 hours ago, Mavideol said:

I need to drive to Phuket next week and would like to know if I still need a negative test to enter, thanks for the feed back

No, you need a positive test. Cheesh.

 

[oldcpu]

14 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

241 new cases announced for today and 3 new deaths, day before there were 4 deaths so 7 covid deaths in 2 days for a small island population is not good.

Indeed - I think we all agree this is not good, ... this pandemic is global and it is hurting globally.  I think we are all saddened by each and every death.

 

Still, on average, Phuket has done better wrt % capita deaths than the Thailand average.

 

Phuket - I note a total deaths 27 (since Apr 3) and 5,495 infected.  So that is 0.49% of those infected died.

 

Thailand (average) - I note currently a Thailand death toll at 12,948 during 3rd wave, and 1,265,659 cases. So that is 1.02% of those infected died.

 

So if my 'back of the envelope' calculations are accurate, despite the very sad deaths in Phuket, and despite the disturbing weekly increasing number of new infections being discovered in Phuket, the Island is still doing better (by about 2x) (or half the # of deaths per capita infections) than the rest of Thailand on a per capita basis for the # of deaths.  

Edited September 6, 2021 by oldcpu

[oldcpu]

4 hours ago, Trujillo said:

 

As for antigen tests, a local, large chain pharmacy here has a sign (in Thai only) that says they will not sell antigen test kits. I asked why and the answer was: "The manager doesn't want sick people coming into the store," ... yet they sell ivermectin.... go figure. 

It is bizarre.

 

I think thou, that some people who are not sick do buy ivermectin.

 

I note I have an acquaintence, with opposite views from myself (where the friend is an anti-vaxer who has recovered from the virus) who is a big believer in ivermectin, and since his recovery, he takes ivermectin (on his own accord despite recommendations to the contrary) as a preventative to avoid being re-infected.  I have another anti-vaxer friend, who has yet to be infected, who also takes invermectin as a preventative. 

 

My view is they are both taking a placebo, or worse. .... One thing they do have going for them is they both eating health and stay very fit, which is a far more effective measure than ivermectin IMHO.

 

They didn't and don't listen to my recommendations to go get vaccinated.

Edited September 6, 2021 by oldcpu

[Bkk Brian]

14 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Indeed - I think we all agree this is not good, ... this pandemic is global and it is hurting globally.  I think we are all saddened by each and every death.

 

Still, on average, Phuket has done better wrt % capita deaths than the Thailand average.

 

Phuket - I note a total deaths 27 (since Apr 3) and 5,495 infected.  So that is 0.49% of those infected died.

 

Thailand (average) - I note currently a Thailand death toll at 12,948 during 3rd wave, and 1,265,659 cases. So that is 1.02% of those infected died.

 

So if my 'back of the envelope' calculations are accurate, despite the very sad deaths in Phuket, and despite the disturbing weekly increasing number of new infections being discovered in Phuket, the Island is still doing better (by about 2x) (or half the # of deaths per capita infections) than the rest of Thailand on a per capita basis for the # of deaths.  

So it should be, it’s also the highest vaxxed province in Thailand that’s why I said it was worrying.

[shdmn]

18 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Not exactly a tourism spinner knowing the only place you can come in to is in critical hospital capacity crisis !

Which is why you need to be vaccinated first, like all the tourists are.  Apparently you didn't bother to connect those dots.

[oldcpu]

12 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

So it should be, it’s also the highest vaxxed province in Thailand that’s why I said it was worrying.

My view is the weekly increasing numbers of new cases in Phuket (as compared to the rest of Thailand where we are now seeing decreases) is due to:

1.  Phuket having less of a lock down/restriction (than the rest of Thailand), and

2. also due to Phuket vaccination numbers 'exaggerated via statistical spin' (ie many more people in Phuket still to be vaccinated), and

3.  also due to the delta variant rendering infection catching protections hoped to be provided by Sinovac/AstraZeneca to be NOT as good (as these vaccines were against Alpha variant).

 

I do note that Phuket has about 1/2 the # of deaths per infections (as the rest of Thailand on average) , and I speculate that is due to these vaccinations still helping to reduce serious symptoms and reduce deaths.

 

Of course that is speculation on my part ... and as the days / weeks go by, likely we will see how far off , or how close, that speculation might be.

 

This pandemic is very ugly in terms of how we are all being affected.

.

Edited September 6, 2021 by oldcpu

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

My view is the weekly increasing numbers of new cases in Phuket (as compared to the rest of Thailand where we are now seeing decreases) is due to:

1.  Phuket having less of a lock down/restriction (than the rest of Thailand), and

2. also due to Phuket vaccination numbers 'exaggerated via statistical spin' (ie many more people in Phuket still to be vaccinated), and

3.  also due to the delta variant rendering infection catching protections hoped to be provided by Sinovac/AstraZeneca as good (as these vaccines were against Alpha variant).

 

I do note that Phuket has about 1/2 the # of deaths per infections, and I speculate that is due to these vaccinations still helping to reduce serious symptoms and reduce deaths.

 

Of course that is speculation on my part ... and as the days / weeks go by, likely we will see how far off , or how close, that speculation might be.

 

This pandemic is very ugly in terms of how we are all being affected.

.

Thank you for your view many points of which I share and others I disagree with, however my post was a simple statement based on 7 deaths in 2 days, never happened before and may just be coincidence without further info on whether they were or were not vaxxed or not. AZ by the way provides very good protection against Delta, the worry is Sinovac 

[oldcpu]

19 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

AZ by the way provides very good protection against Delta,

I hope so - as I had my 1st AZ end-June, and go for my 2nd AZ in mid-September.   I don't have much confidence in my 1 AZ jab (against Delta) but my hope is if my mid-Sep 2nd AZ jab takes place on schedule, then by October I should have some help from AZ to reduce risk of serious infection and reduce risk against death against this virus.  Currently I mostly self isolate, and like some friends of mine, I also try to eat healthy, and stay physically fit.  ... This pandemic has giving my 67-year old bones more motivation to go for a 5km jog early every morning  - more motivation than I confess I had in the past.

[jak2002003]

Gosh, really?  But, we were all told that the Phuket Sandbox is a great success and most of the people on the island are double vaccinated.

 

I just don't understand how this situation happened. ????

 

 

 

[mickyr55]

13 hours ago, smedly said:

yes it does

NO IT DOESN'T, the vaccinations greatly reduce the possibility of death or hospitalisation, you can still be infected and can still infect others.

Just wondering Mr Smedly if you have thought about being a Thai politician you appear to have the required level of understanding. 

Edited September 6, 2021 by mickyr55

[it is what it is]

13 hours ago, smedly said:

yes it does

not correct, it's not binary. vaccines prevent diseases that can be dangerous, or even deadly. Vaccines greatly reduce the risk of infection by working with the body’s natural defenses to safely develop immunity to disease.

 

this website explains how vaccines work and will assist your understanding;

 

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/conversations/understanding-vacc-work.html

 

[smedly]

28 minutes ago, mickyr55 said:

NO IT DOESN'T, the vaccinations greatly reduce the possibility of death or hospitalisation, you can still be infected and can still infect others.

Just wondering Mr Smedly if you have thought about being a Thai politician you appear to have the required level of understanding. 

WRONG

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, shdmn said:

Which is why you need to be vaccinated first, like all the tourists are.  Apparently you didn't bother to connect those dots.

If that's the case then you should just be flashing your vaccination card at the airport for your holiday should you and not be going through all this Thai entry nonsense should you ?

Edited September 6, 2021 by RichardColeman

[stevenl]

10 hours ago, edwarda909 said:

So in a month we get to watch all of this play out again as Chiang Mai opens.  I wish the doctors had the spine to stand up to the politicians in CM and say, "STOP!!!  Get a plan for 85% herd immunity and find a way to control passage into the province." But won't happen.

Herd immunity is not possible with the delta strain.

[stevenl]

8 hours ago, smedly said:

WRONG

Yes, shouting without any argument is very convincing.

[Pattaya Spotter]

Am I missing something...almost everyone is fully vaccinated...a couple hundred daily test positive for virus infection...few, if any, serious illness or death (because of vaccination)...what's the big deal. Isn't this why we all got vaccinated? 

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, Pattaya Spotter said:

Am I missing something...almost everyone is fully vaccinated...a couple hundred daily test positive for virus infection...few, if any, serious illness or death (because of vaccination)...what's the big deal. Isn't this why we all got vaccinated? 

I'm missing the same thing, whats been the whole point of this exercise if most things are still restricted and schools are still closed despite all teachers being vaccinated? I agree its all down to ensuring hospitals remain at a capacity that allows normal interventions for the general public. 

[oldcpu]

14 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

I'm missing the same thing, whats been the whole point of this exercise if most things are still restricted and schools are still closed despite all teachers being vaccinated?

I suspect schools are still closed because the children can still catch and spread the virus (even if they tend to be more asymptomatic) and they can spread the virus to a large % of the population that have not yet been fully vaccinated.

 

If a child catches the virus, brings it back home, and both parents catch the virus, who will look after the child?

 

i.e. "the exercise", to provide better defense to society against the pandemic, is still ongoing.  I would say that is 'the point' and its ongoing.

 

Sadly there is no easy quick solution.

 

Quote

 

I agree its all down to ensuring hospitals remain at a capacity that allows normal interventions for the general public. 

That, and staying alive and reducing the pandemic spread, while % resistance to this pandemic (either via vaccine, or already having caught, or other (?) means) takes place.

Edited September 7, 2021 by oldcpu

[Bkk Brian]

36 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

I suspect schools are still closed because the children can still catch and spread the virus (even if they tend to be more asymptomatic) and they can spread the virus to a large % of the population that have not yet been fully vaccinated.

 

If a child catches the virus, brings it back home, and both parents catch the virus, who will look after the child?

 

i.e. "the exercise", to provide better defense to society against the pandemic, is still ongoing.  I would say that is 'the point' and its ongoing.

 

Sadly there is no easy quick solution.

 

That, and staying alive and reducing the pandemic spread, while % resistance to this pandemic (either via vaccine, or already having caught, or other (?) means) takes place.

Schools cannot wait for all pupils to be vaccinated, it would be the only country in the world to do that. We all know they can spread it but if teachers, parents and household members are vaccinated the the risk is justifiable.

 

 

[bokningar]

7 hours ago, stevenl said:

Herd immunity is not possible with the delta strain.

The way I understand it heard immunity is possible with Delta as well. But it requires a higher % of the population vaccinated.

With the original virus 60 % immune should be enough. But now with Delta they say 80 % . And since no vaccine give a 100 % coverage. Vaccination need to reach 90 % of population to get 80 % immune.

A lot harder but not impossible.

[oldcpu]

11 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Schools cannot wait for all pupils to be vaccinated, it would be the only country in the world to do that. We all know they can spread it but if teachers, parents and household members are vaccinated the the risk is justifiable.

 

 

Well - I live in Phuket.  I know a number of expat parents who have ONLY received their first AZ jab, and have to wait two to three more weeks before their 2nd AZ jab.

 

I have also read article that claim one needs to wait a couple of weeks AFTER the 2nd AZ jab, before AZ vaccine can be considered have reached acceptable efficacy.  So we are thus looking at another month, before the household members are fully vaccinated.

 

This all takes time.

.

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Well - I live in Phuket.  I know a number of expat parents who have ONLY received their first AZ jab, and have to wait two to three more weeks before their 2nd AZ jab.

 

I have also read article that claim one needs to wait a couple of weeks AFTER the 2nd AZ jab, before AZ vaccine can be considered have reached acceptable efficacy.  So we are thus looking at another month, before the household members are fully vaccinated.

 

This all takes time.

.

I too live in Phuket and have been for 15 years, my daughter who is 13 cannot attend school because they will not open for her age group but most international schools are open for 9 years and below so long as parents and household members are all vaccinated, that is already in place and working. For the over 9 year olds that is not the case.

 

This is a directive for Phuket Ed Authority

[club]

Didn't most of the locals in Phuket get 2 jabs of Sinovac ? If they did, they should have had boosters

[oldcpu]

4 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

I too live in Phuket and have been for 15 years, my daughter who is 13 cannot attend school because they will not open for her age group but most international schools are open for 9 years and below so long as parents and household members are all vaccinated, that is already in place and working. For the over 9 year olds that is not the case.

I think this is very difficult at present for both children and parents - and not just difficult for Phuket - globally, where dependent on the region/country, school re-openings have already taken place, or in other places school re-openings have been delayed.  Children at home, means parents have to ensure they are looked after - which as am pretty certain means you know much better than myself, adds an additional layer of complexity wrt one's daytime work.

 

Difficult times.

 

In the condo complex where I live, almost exclusively foreigners renting, I do not know of any who have received two jabs.  Often the Thai spouse or Thai maid/nanny has received two jabs, but not the other (or both) falang parent(s), and as I noted, many are waiting until mid-September for their 2nd jab.

 

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by oldcpu

[oldcpu]

4 hours ago, club said:

Didn't most of the locals in Phuket get 2 jabs of Sinovac ? If they did, they should have had boosters

Boosters are just now starting to be offered in Phuket, but typically to qualify (at present time) for a booster after having received two Sinovac jabs,in Phuket one needs to be over a certain age, or one needs to have preconditions to qualify for the booster jab.    I suspect as weeks go by this will open up to more ...