SURVEY: What effect will the Omicron variant have on Thailand?

[seedy]

 

[Jeffr2]

3 minutes ago, seedy said:

 

She's reporting based on very limited information with very few patients.  I'm guessing there's a vested interest here.  Kinda like listening to a Chinese doc say how good Sinovac is. LOL

 

We need a few weeks to really know what's going on.  This doc isn't helping at all.  Just giving fodder to the pandemic deniers.

[jacko45k]

8 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Just giving fodder to the pandemic deniers.

Or perhaps damping down the panic......

She does have more experience than many, being close to the patients. Others are reacting and commenting on zero contact....

Time will tell.....

[Jeffr2]

Just now, jacko45k said:

Or perhaps damping down the panic......

She does have more experience than many, being close to the patients. Others are reacting and commenting on zero contact....

Time will tell.....

Understood.  But I don't see many being in panic mode.  Media outlets (credible ones) are all reporting that we just don't know yet.  It will take weeks to really understand this new variant.

 

This lady is reporting with limited info and no real scientific research.  Her report is going global.  And pandemic deniers are using it a lot.  I say this is also over reacting to say it's not that big of a deal according to a single doctor.  IMHO.

 

As you say, time will tell.  Fingers crossed, but it doesn't look good.  Let's just hope the jab is still effective.

[DrJack54]

More an observation then anything else..... I don't read all that much world news however things seem to be changing quickly with some countries rules changing.

Perhaps my joint Oz is not good example as we have state gov and federal level that both can change restrictions on entry and some states have already done that. 

Israel already closed? 

Think Japan has?.

I spend most of time when reading AseanNow in the visa forum. 

Very surprised that there is complete focus on things such as Thailand Pass etc and very little on possible change to travel restrictions.

I had a trip home in pipeline but have now put that on the back burner.

Perhaps I'm being foolish however I would be nervous to travel now.

Of course if I was trying to get home would be trying to speed that up. Perhaps worry for nothing.

 

 

 

[Jeffr2]

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

More an observation then anything else..... I don't read all that much world news however things seem to be changing quickly with some countries rules changing.

Perhaps my joint Oz is not good example as we have state gov and federal level that both can change restrictions on entry and some states have already done that. 

Israel already closed? 

Think Japan has?.

I spend most of time when reading AseanNow in the visa forum. 

Very surprised that there is complete focus on things such as Thailand Pass etc and very little on possible change to travel restrictions.

I had a trip home in pipeline but have now put that on the back burner.

Perhaps I'm being foolish however I would be nervous to travel now.

Of course if I was trying to get home would be trying to speed that up. Perhaps worry for nothing.

I follow several media outlets.  All have said the reason for the travel restrictions is to give countries a bit of time to get prepared for this virus.  These restrictions won't stop it from spreading, but might slow it down just a bit so they can be more prepared.  Makes sense.

 

We just don't know right now.  But if it's like Delta, we're in for another big wave.  I've canceled my travel plans.  Got stuck outside Thailand last time and don't want to go through that again.  I'm not interested in a 2 week quarantine!  LOL

[Danderman123]

If I had to guess, one month of panic, before everything returns to the status quo of November 20.

[Jeffr2]

2 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

If I had to guess, one month of panic, before everything returns to the status quo of November 20.

We'll know more in a week or so.  But the increase in cases in SA are scary.  You've seen that, right?

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

.  Got stuck outside Thailand last time and don't want to go through that again.  I'm not interested in a 2 week quarantine!

I recall clearly being at airport Saigon 16/03/2020. 

The flights that day were abruptly to Singapore. 

I was thinking at the time..."what's all the fuss, this will blow over in few weeks".

 

In actual fact upon return I booked two trips to Osaka for later that year. What an idiot. 

 

As a result I was often quick to bat for folk that got stuck out or in.

Posts at the time from some along the lines...." Couldn't you see it coming. You were stupid not to travel quickly".

 

I never accepted that as I could easily have been stuck.

This time we should be more cautious. 

 

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

We'll know more in a week or so.  But the increase in cases in SA are scary.  You've seen that, right?

Also scary is swift switch in what's coming from organizations such as WHO.

Reading media such as BBC, Guardian etc there is a quickly shifting landscape and that is clear.

 

[millymoopoo]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO India and Oz are hardly comparable. India is a crowded country with loads of very poor people, and Oz is the opposite.

Stick enough people crowded together and the results are pretty inevitable IMO.

Exactly, however the comparison intimated in the original post was with the 'controls in place'.

India didn't bother doing lock downs, with hundreds of thousands of people attending events with low vaccination numbers.

Were all those people masked and locked down (as best you could) with 90% vaccinated, the outcome would be completely different.!

BTW as of yet there is no confirmation of decreased efficacy of vaccines against this new variant.

[mvdf]

On 11/29/2021 at 2:39 AM, G Rex said:

My wife is rubbing my crystal balls as I type -  sorry I will try to stay on topic

 

Stomach churning. And you had to mention this because? To let the whole world know something that is profoundly private?

 

[Bkk Brian]

28 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

We'll know more in a week or so.  But the increase in cases in SA are scary.  You've seen that, right?

Its not just cases now either, hospital admissions have doubled in the last week and the head of an ICU unit has said young people, in their 20s to just over their late 30s, are coming in with moderate to severe disease, some needing intensive care.

[unblocktheplanet]

I chose No. 1--great effect but, on the other hand No. 4 is govt's usual pattern.

 

The worrisome part is that Omicron seems to travel in stealth mode, asymptomatic. We need to go back to PCR testing. Hong Kong's 21-day quarantine is not out-of-line for public safety.

 

This means only essential business travelers will arrive. So be it. We opened too soon and any tourist who travels to Thailand in a pandemic is a fool.

 

[talahtnut]

 

Omicron: What we know about the new Covid variant..

It spreads BS with lightning speed!

[rickudon]

What Omicron has highlighted is the inadequacy of pre-flight tests. In Amsterdam, 600 passengers from 2 planes from South Africa were quarantined and tested. 61 had Covid-19 (10% !), of these 13 had the Omicron variant. What happened to pre-flight testing?

Some countries test you on arrival at the destination airport, with results available in about one hour - they are doing this in West Africa, where my son flew to a week ago. If a 3rd world country can organise this, why cannot a developed country? Personally i think pre-flight and home testing by private companies are just a con, they take your money but do not care about actually processing all the tests - make more money that way!

 

I expect that the PCR test on arrival in Thailand will stay. Otherwise, no change. I doubt that there are many (or even any) direct flights from South Africa to Thailand, so few tourists will be affected.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

None of the poll options make sense. 

 

Also, not sure why the opinions of a bunch of random boomers even matters.

[BritManToo]

On 11/30/2021 at 8:28 AM, Bkk Brian said:

Its not just cases now either, hospital admissions have doubled in the last week and the head of an ICU unit has said young people, in their 20s to just over their late 30s, are coming in with moderate to severe disease, some needing intensive care.

Is that vaccinated young people?

[Jeffr2]

[Jeffr2]

 

[Bkk Brian]

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Is that vaccinated young people?

“Young people, in their 20s to just over their late 30s, are coming in with moderate to severe disease, some needing intensive care. About 65% are not vaccinated and most of the rest are only half-vaccinated,” said Mathivha. “I’m worried that as the numbers go up, the public health care facilities will become overwhelmed.”

[Swimfan]

On 11/30/2021 at 11:01 AM, seedy said:

 

A week ago she said many had mild symptoms but others where coming in complaining of crushing fatigue and others were presenting with severely elevated heart rates. Now she is saying they all only had mild symptoms. 

[Blumpie]

Whatever kromnidon is (romnkcrom?) it's having an effect around the world.  Lots stuck in south africa who cannot get out.  To get back here they have to fly to another country and get a negative result.  So that's one in south africa and then find a place to transit in and get a negative test to continue on, LOL!  Pretty much impossible.  People are literally stuck there again.

 

Everyone - everyone is over-reacting.  Many doctors say there is no way to tell what it will do.  IT could be absolutely nothing and the pandemic could by and large be over.  OR we will all be dead.  In that case, worrying about it doesn't matter.  But I see no evidence of it being bad - yet.  

 

Thailand they are probably making wild predictions based on nothing.  And life goes on.

[Jeffr2]

9 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

Whatever kromnidon is (romnkcrom?) it's having an effect around the world.  Lots stuck in south africa who cannot get out.  To get back here they have to fly to another country and get a negative result.  So that's one in south africa and then find a place to transit in and get a negative test to continue on, LOL!  Pretty much impossible.  People are literally stuck there again.

 

Everyone - everyone is over-reacting.  Many doctors say there is no way to tell what it will do.  IT could be absolutely nothing and the pandemic could by and large be over.  OR we will all be dead.  In that case, worrying about it doesn't matter.  But I see no evidence of it being bad - yet.  

 

Thailand they are probably making wild predictions based on nothing.  And life goes on.

Based on substantial increases in cases and hospitalizations in SA, not so sure everyone is over reacting.

[johnnybangkok]

On 11/29/2021 at 11:40 AM, Scouse123 said:

Too early to say,

 

The signals coming out from tests carried out by South African virologists are saying they needed more time to monitor this situation but the prognosis is good as in so far as up to press , the effects have been minimal and mild.

 

They are wanting to see how it affects different age groups and people with underlying diseases.

 

Fact is this, governments have been quick to respond and react and will take the blame regardless, they are damned if they lockdown and damned if they don't.

 

I hope sincerely that it is a weaker strain and wish everybody can get to as near normal as quickly as possible.

My thoughts exactly' damned if you do, damned if you don't!

Many governments were rightly criticised for their slow response when Covid originally appeared so I'm guessing they don't want to take any chances this time round. But a moderated approach is vital right now as (has been pointed out by many) the economic consequences to yet another lockdown are just too much for most to bear.

I think we all realise Covid (in whatever form) is going to be with us for a very long time, but much like the flu, vaccines offer a very needed bulwark to serious consequences and the good news is most scientists are saying current vaccines should be enough (especially after a booster). Still there are worries that existing vaccines will not be as effective against the new variant (time will tell) so it's good to hear Moderna have announced an Omnicron specific vaccine avilable in January (https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/28/moderna-says-an-omicron-variant-vaccine-could-be-ready-in-early-2022.html). 

I'll probably wait for the Moderna vaccine or an Omnicron specific vaccine for my booster (no point in getting a booster that doesn't work) and lets keep our fingers crossed that in the meantime this doesn't get out of hand and we are plunged back to where we were 18 months ago.   

[Swimfan]

28 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

Whatever kromnidon is (romnkcrom?) it's having an effect around the world.  Lots stuck in south africa who cannot get out.  To get back here they have to fly to another country and get a negative result.  So that's one in south africa and then find a place to transit in and get a negative test to continue on, LOL!  Pretty much impossible.  People are literally stuck there again.

 

Everyone - everyone is over-reacting.  Many doctors say there is no way to tell what it will do.  IT could be absolutely nothing and the pandemic could by and large be over.  OR we will all be dead.  In that case, worrying about it doesn't matter.  But I see no evidence of it being bad - yet.  

 

Thailand they are probably making wild predictions based on nothing.  And life goes on.

Quote from the CEO of Moderna in interview with Reuters

"I think it's going to be a material drop. I just don't know how much because we need to wait for the data. But all the scientists I've talked to . . . are like 'this is not going to be good.'"