Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health encourages public to refrain from drinking alcohol and risky activities to help prevent Omicron spread

[Skeptic7]

5 hours ago, Thujone said:

Cheers!

????

[aussienam]

It is true letting this Omicron virus rip through will cause disruptions - supply chains because of employees going off work sick, or close contact forced isolation.  Health workers in hospitals the same - causing pressure on ability to admit and care for patients Public and private offices the same.  Retail outlets, factories, etc etc.  

Eg. Australia is seeing empty supermarket shelves as people supplying are unable to work.  

BUT .... the alternative is the stop-start method of lockdowns and restrictions, then opening partially, then locking down, opening, etc, for months or years and allowing this virus to infect non-COVID hosts and mutate more.  

I think it may be best to endure a period of inconvenience by letting this Omicron strain of COVD virus propagate, with most people off sick for about 2-3 weeks recovery.

 

Have open field hospitals ready with adequate ventilators for the surge in ICU patients (yes mostly just a 'cold-like' symptom for most, but massive case numbers will cause a big upsurge in vulnerable needing medical intervention that will put pressure on hospitals - is happening in other countries now).  

 

Don't force people not unwell enough to be hospitalized and instead ask them to isolate at their home.  Inevitably, everyone will get COVID with lucky people being asymptomatic.  I've had it during the Delta-dominant period.  Was not pleasant.   But Omicron has demonstrated to be much milder.  This is an opportunity to mass infect as opposed to delaying inevitable infections.  Deaths as a % from Omicron are extremely low.  

[big dendrobenaes]

someone PLEASE tell me just HOW NOT drinking alcohol STOPS covid......

it is a complete farce .......

[thaitom]

36 minutes ago, club said:

i am sitting in a hospital right now with lite symptoms and fully vaccinated with Moderna and was told yesterday from doctor that one of my lungs is infected with Cytokine storm syndrome. Google it, its not good

Did the Doctor tell you what variant you have ?

[aussienam]

1 minute ago, big dendrobenaes said:

someone PLEASE tell me just HOW NOT drinking alcohol STOPS covid......

it is a complete farce .......

Statistically it has been revealed from contact tracing data, that COVID outbreaks have been high in areas where alcohol is served - high concentrations of people.  Social settings.  Not the alcohol itself.  The ban of alcohol acts as a deterrent for people to frequent those areas as most won't go if they cannot enjoy a drink and socialize (go hand-in-hand).  

Of course there are other settings of people congregating closely (immigration offices LOL, factories, migrant worker camps etc).  

I am not a proponent of lockdowns anymore.  Omicron is the golden opportunity for mass herd immunity to burn out COVID.  The more infected people over a short period could see COVID dying out faster.  

[Thaiophil]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Which region in Chonburi was the first to exhibit rapid rise in Covid cases recently?

Nobody knows as the authorities do not do widespread testing, relying instead on publicity stunts. Eg closing Thanon Bangla in Patong for a day, testing all the employees and “deep cleaning”. All bars open again the next day????

[tomacht8]

Not at all capable of learning the whole lot. Two years ago the concept of zero C19 infections was still being pursued. Lockdowns, Isolation and Cluster Identification. Now after 2 years and the 3, 4, 5 wave, there are cost-benefit insights. Omicron is everywhere now. How many people actually have Omicron or have already recovered from it, they don't even know. Instead, they are still riding around on the dead 2 year old horse. Since 10 months they have not even been able to organize an orderly school operation for the millions of children and young people. Instead, they politicize the bars, alcohol and tourists. Destructive and unimaginative are the words that best describe this Lot.

Edited January 8, 2022 by tomacht8

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

Omicron shouldn't be considered in the same sentence as Covid. Thailand should hope people get Omicron; especially hope the unvacinnated get Omicron. If you survived a sescond Covid-19 shot then you pretty much know what Omicron does to you. Plus you get antibodies with the Omicron.

Agreed. My thought is that they should end all increased restrictions after Omicron came along as it is universally recognised only as a mild medical problem similar to the flu. Or perhaps now the governments of the world will lock down countries to prevent the flu spreading as well.

[big dendrobenaes]

define "RISKY" activities !!!

would one be DRIVING on Thai roads???

or crossing the road using a zebra crossing????!!!!

[ArcticFox]

They are always coming back to somehow pairing alcohol consumption with Covid.

I'd bet that there is as strong, if not stronger correlation between shopping in crowded shopping malls - so logically, the public should refrain from shopping in malls.  And has anyone been to a Buddhist temple during services.  100, 200, 300 people packed into an enclosed space. Yep, better refrain from religion too.

But the government message is constantly - "prohibition, alcohol bad (for plebs), prohibition."

Trust me.  Eventually everyone of these puuyai leaders and bureaucrats telling the public to mask up, stay at home, and stay away from people "Oh, and don't drink!" - end up getting caught having parties and celebrations with their friends and families without a mask in sight with everyone hugging and slamming back drinks.

The true horror of this 'pandemic' is the hypocrisy of those insisting on totalitarian restrictions on the public while ignoring those restrictions themselves - and getting caught - then listening to the excuses.
"What is bad for thee is good for me!"

Edited January 8, 2022 by ArcticFox

[law ling]

1 hour ago, big dendrobenaes said:

someone PLEASE tell me just HOW NOT drinking alcohol STOPS covid......

it is a complete farce .......

I suppose it's the handing around of glasses, mixers, bottles, ice tongs, cigarette packets, lighters, snacks, etc that can pass the virus along ... and/or the shouting of yarns and jokes at each other in close promixity in poorly ventilated rooms ... but yes, it's not the alcohol per se that's the problem.

[club]

1 hour ago, thaitom said:

Did the Doctor tell you what variant you have ?

No, but all symptoms I had were Omicron. Plus pretty sure I caught in the USA. 95% cases there is Omicron

[Nickelbeer]

If the brewing companies cannot buy off enough lawmakers to secure their interests, then it's hard to feel sorry for them. The machinery exists to buy whatever you need from the system, you just have to pony up the cash.

[ArcticFox]

10 minutes ago, big dendrobenaes said:

define "RISKY" activities !!!

would one be DRIVING on Thai roads???

or crossing the road using a zebra crossing????!!!!

What's killing more people in Thailand on a daily basis: Covid or road accidents?

OK - banned driving!  Place a moratorium on driving until we have Zero Road Death.  Why not?

[captpkapoor]

Drinking alcohol has sweet <deleted>A to do with Covid. Poorly ventilated spaces etc etc yes. 

[crazykopite]

This new variant has nothing to do with the consumption of alcohol there is more chance of coming into contact with this from the daily markets or the weekly walk in streets where you will see 100s of people gathering all within very close proximity to each other . I would rather be in a bar where there are fewer than 20 persons and where you can keep your distance . I bet the politicians will continue to enjoy there discounted alcohol in the government and Army clubs . It’s one rule for the elites and one rule for the normal person on the street

[KhunLA]

I no longer breathe through my nose.  Take a sip of alcohol, breathe, another sip, another breath.

 

Figure the alcohol will kill anything coming in  ... my study proves it works, and peer reviewed by wife, and she concurs.

 

Drink more, avoid death.

[Jiggo]

So the request is that only the public refrain from drinking alcohol, not government officials and military officers.   

[thailand49]

He is right over the holiday I party with some Thai officials,  they drank and drank after no social distant,  slug speech,  drowling spitting all over themselves, groping everything in sight 

while singing a song.  Then they proceeded to go home all drunk! 

This is Thailand!  ????

[club]

59 minutes ago, club said:

No, but all symptoms I had were Omicron. Plus pretty sure I caught in the USA. 95% cases there is Omicron

When doctor did another PCR  test he said results of wont come back until 7 to 14 days. Sound like their is only a couple of labs around Bangkok that know how to do it

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, Thaiophil said:

Nobody knows as the authorities do not do widespread testing, relying instead on publicity stunts. Eg closing Thanon Bangla in Patong for a day, testing all the employees and “deep cleaning”. All bars open again the next day????

Well of the numbers that were available......no need to duck the Q

[chilly07]

8 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

seems a bit mute considering more will die driving home than of covid !

DUI -drunk AND infected.

Darwin at its best- just tell barflies that alcohol kills Omicron and cleverly position some unlit holes and bollards just outside the bar

[chilly07]

New Year=Alcohol=Omicron QED

[Harveyboy]

5 hours ago, jacko45k said:

He is right.... recently saw some pics from Treetown and all of those drinking were not wearing masks....drinking alcohol obviously makes people do stupid things!

yep difficult to get the beer thru those masks eh

[Burma Bill]

7 hours ago, simola said:

An absolute nonsense.

 

Yes indeed and why not these as well - iced coffees and fruit drinks?????

 

[Stargeezr]

In Canada so many people are getting sick from this new omicron variant, that

all sorts of businesses have sick employees. Parents are also seeing their children now getting sick from

omicron, and a sick child means at least one parent has to stay home. No one wants to baby sit a

COVID patient. Right?  People who think that omicron is a walk in the park are dreaming.

  Good Luck, in 2 weeks you may know what I am talking about.

[Joules]

I had to laugh at the picture.  White hands.  More dirty farangs spreading the virus with their slovenly ways.  

[daveAustin]

7 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

I am wondering when Thailand will grow up.

Keep wondering. it’ll never happen.

[Kwaibill]

As frequently occurs, the cart is before the horse. Drinking alcohol has nothing to do with the spread of the virus. It is the socializing, with no masks or social distancing, that spread the disease. Alcohol consumption is an adjunct to the instinct to crowd together, perhaps especially strong in Asian peoples, though having been in Times Square a couple of times for the ball drop...

I was living happily alone on a seventy-five rai mini "ranch" in AZ before meeting my dear Thai wife, and also having a couple of strokes. Now I enjoy having peopld around. First stroke, the lovely people in my condo complex got me an ambulance, etc. I would be happy to buy them all a beer!

[Thaifish]

I've cut my drinking down to Two times a week. Once for Three days and the other for Four.