Thailand bans arrivals from 8 African countries as a precaution against new COVID-19 variant Omicron

[Soulman1980]

Trip planned for Dec. 5th, i don´t think it will happen. I am from Germany and we already have 2 confirmed cases of Omicron and i think my country will be on the travel ban list soon too. Really frustrated now, i really looked forward to spend some time in Thailand with nice warm weather instead of the dark, cold and depressing stuff here.. This really sucks. Everything was smooth until now, Thai Pass was no problem at all and now this.

[dunroaming]

1 minute ago, itsari said:

It will take 100 days to modify the vaccines to cope with omicron .

Yes I can see that.  But then will people have to start again with modified vaccinations (by which I mean, have two jabs followed by a booster), or will there be just another booster needed to up the level of the original jabs?

 

I don't expect a reply to that, just thinking out loud!

[Farangus]

I read that in South Africa, young people who fall ill do not have very dangerous symptoms.  Even taste and smell are not lost.  Just great weakness.  I also saw information that it is less contagious than delta.  But the country has a small elderly population and how the new strain of the virus affects people over 65 is not yet clear.  I really hope that the danger will be lower than everyone thinks, and in January I will also go to Thailand without new difficulties and risks.

[RichardColeman]

25 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

The WHO were very quick to flag up the Omicron variant as being of considerable concern, meaning it must be taken seriously.

Yes, they flagged it very quickly - within a week. Funny how they did not flag the Chinese version for months though isn't ? 

[HashBrownHarry]

2 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Yes, they flagged it very quickly - within a week. Funny how they did not flag the Chinese version for months though isn't ? 

Not really, they now have almost 2 years of data and experience dealing with it so it makes perfect sense that response time and processes to deal with it have improved.

[itsari]

2 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

Yes I can see that.  But then will people have to start again with modified vaccinations (by which I mean, have two jabs followed by a booster), or will there be just another booster needed to up the level of the original jabs?

 

I don't expect a reply to that, just thinking out loud!

Good question , we will be informed sooner or later i assume .

[anchadian]

Today''s Andrew Marr Show focusing on the new SA variant:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogKR_idRx-k

 

[KhaoYai]

53 minutes ago, itsari said:

I understand your frustrations , yet anyone travelling in these pandemic times has to be aware of the pit-falls involved ,

Pitfalls? I've been away for 20 months already - each time I try to get back I'm thwarted, either by my own government's rules, the Thai's or both.

Even if I am allowed to travel in December, I'll be living in fear of the UK placing Thailand on their Red List all the time I'm away.  I that happens, on return I'm placed in compulsory quarantine for 10 days at my own expense (£2285) even if there were no restrictions when I left. I have been required to home quarantine for 10 days, 4 times since the pandemic started and fully complied each time.

 

There are kids growing up that haven't seen their fathers for almost 2 years!

 

We simply have to get back to some form of normal.

[KhaoYai]

55 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

But that's what they are trying to do. Slow down the inevitable so they can get more prepared. They admit this.

1. They've had more than enough time to get their act together with v accines, they messed it up and procrastinated from the start whilst announcing trips to the moon, buying submarines and planes that's they won't ever use in anger.

 

2.  I wish I had your optimism - I think they'd still impose restrictions if 100% were vaccinated, they've been paranoid about this virus for ages and spread fear of foreigners amongst the population.

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, Jeffr2 said:

As for the unvaccinated. They are the reason for this variant and the current chaos. Time for mandates.

On that, I agree with you but it will never happen.

[KhaoYai]

31 minutes ago, itsari said:

It will take 100 days to modify the vaccines to cope with omicron .

And the next new variant? How long can this go on? I shouldn't need to remind you that its been almost 2 years already.

[ozimoron]

22 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Yes, they flagged it very quickly - within a week. Funny how they did not flag the Chinese version for months though isn't ? 

False. I arrived in Thailand on Jan 10, 2020 and on the 11th I knew that I would not be staying the year I had intended.

[bear9]

This is all just a political move to make the Thai population think the government is doing something nothing else.

 

Travel bans don’t work unless the borders are shut completely. It’s already spread throughout Europe and therefore will be everywhere else already. Stopping flights from Africa alone will achieve nothing.

[HashBrownHarry]

38 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Pitfalls? I've been away for 20 months already - each time I try to get back I'm thwarted, either by my own government's rules, the Thai's or both.

Even if I am allowed to travel in December, I'll be living in fear of the UK placing Thailand on their Red List all the time I'm away.  I that happens, on return I'm placed in compulsory quarantine for 10 days at my own expense (£2285) even if there were no restrictions when I left. I have been required to home quarantine for 10 days, 4 times since the pandemic started and fully complied each time.

 

There are kids growing up that haven't seen their fathers for almost 2 years!

 

We simply have to get back to some form of normal.

You should always remember there's someone worse off than yourself.

 

There is tens of thousands of sob stories like yours, i've had 42 Covid tests ( since i've started to count ) but i won't bore you with that.

 

No amount of frustration will change the way things are, you just need to deal with it as best you can.

 

[anchadian]

Omicron Netherlands: 13 air passengers test positive for new variant

 

The new coronavirus variant Omicron has been detected in 13 people who arrived in the Dutch capital Amsterdam on two flights from South Africa.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59451103

[bobandyson]

Why are they allowing people to fly out of SA? I want to die of old age and not of some virus variant originating from SA.

 

[WHansen]

3 hours ago, ozimoron said:

4 hours ago, WHansen said:

A year ago we had a similar response to the S.A Beta.....

At the moment this is all cautionary as not enough is currently known

Why single out Beta?

Clue - S.A

[KhaoYai]

29 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

You should always remember there's someone worse off than yourself.

 

There is tens of thousands of sob stories like yours, i've had 42 Covid tests ( since i've started to count ) but i won't bore you with that.

 

No amount of frustration will change the way things are, you just need to deal with it as best you can.

 

I am fully aware there are people worse off then me - I said there are kids growing up without seeing their fathers.

 

Deal with it the best I can? For how long?  At what point will those who say 'We have to learn to live with the virus" actually mean it? 

 

Some countries have made special provisions for those who need to travel on compassionate grounds - not mine or Thailand though. What's wrong with introducing such a policy if this situation is ongoing as it almost certainly is?

 

You claim to have travelled in and out of Thailand many times since the pandemic began, clearly your personal circumstances allow that - most people cannot do that.  Its very easy to say that other people's situations are 'sob stories' when nothing prevents you from travelling.

 

I don't quite understand your point on having 42 covid tests, I'd have 142 if I could travel.

[KhaoYai]

A further point: How many of those already passed to visit Thailand who will now be required to quarantine for 14 days will actually travel?  14 days is a very popular duration to spend on a holiday - few genuine tourists will accept quarantine.  How many that are genuine tourists and lose money as a result, will make Thailand their choice next year? Further damage to the Thai tourist industry - long term.

[ozimoron]

11 minutes ago, WHansen said:

Clue - S.A

If you're looking to compare the beta variant with omicron, they are "dramatically" different so what is your point?

[Jeffr2]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

Yes, they flagged it very quickly - within a week. Funny how they did not flag the Chinese version for months though isn't ? 

We've come along way since then. Understand?

[HashBrownHarry]

8 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Deal with it the best I can? For how long?  At what point will those who say 'We have to learn to live with the virus" actually mean it? 

Myself or anyone i'm aware of cannot answer this question.

 

8 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Some countries have made special provisions for those who need to travel on compassionate grounds - not mine or Thailand though. What's wrong with introducing such a policy if this situation is ongoing as it almost certainly is.

Again, i cannot answer this

 

9 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

I don't quite understand your point on having 42 covid tests, I'd have 142 if I could travel.

I'm merely pointing out that to travel it goes with the territory, travel as we knew it will never return, we have to comply with all the testing / quarantine / inconvieniences if we wish to travel from now on.

[Jeffr2]

1 hour ago, KhaoYai said:

1. They've had more than enough time to get their act together with v accines, they messed it up and procrastinated from the start whilst announcing trips to the moon, buying submarines and planes that's they won't ever use in anger.

 

2.  I wish I had your optimism - I think they'd still impose restrictions if 100% were vaccinated, they've been paranoid about this virus for ages and spread fear of foreigners amongst the population.

Anti vaxxers are messing it up and procrastinating. Time for mandates. If 100% vaccinated, we'd have very few new variants. Like this one.

[KhaoYai]

2 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

I'm merely pointing out that to travel it goes with the territory, travel as we knew it will never return, we have to comply with all the testing / quarantine / inconvieniences if we wish to travel from now on.

Having to be tested is nothing like being prevented from travelling.

[HashBrownHarry]

4 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

A further point: How many of those already passed to visit Thailand who will now be required to quarantine for 14 days will actually travel?  14 days is a very popular duration to spend on a holiday - few genuine tourists will accept quarantine.  How many that are genuine tourists and lose money as a result, will make Thailand their choice next year? Further damage to the Thai tourist industry - long term.

I don't know why you concern yourself with these questions, i all concern myself with is the requirements for me to get in / out the country, that's enough to deal with.

 

Why worry?

[HashBrownHarry]

Just now, KhaoYai said:

Having to be tested is nothing like being prevented from travelling.

How are you being prevented?

[KhaoYai]

2 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Anti vaxxers are messing it up and procrastinating. Time for mandates. If 100% vaccinated, we'd have very few new variants. Like this one.

Agreed, I've never met one yet that is prepared to consider the science or look at genuine evidence.  As soon as they are backed into a corner they call evidence 'propaganda'. For those, mandatory vaccination is the only way - can't see it happening in either the UK or Thailand though.

[3NUMBAS]

its quickly apearing everywhere ,,stable door bolted too late

 

2 in the uk so far

[KhaoYai]

4 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

I don't know why you concern yourself with these questions, i all concern myself with is the requirements for me to get in / out the country, that's enough to deal with.

 

Why worry?

I would have thought that was bloody obvious - MY WIFE AND FAMILY ARE IN THAILAND! 

 

You can travel but having bought and paid for my planned trip and gone through a thoroughly ill constructed application process, its looking like I won't be abe to travel.

[Jeffr2]

4 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

How are you being prevented?

Border closures and mandatory quarantines.