Thai PM orders troops to prepare resources to set up field hospitals

[webfact]

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed Thailand’s three armed forces and the police to tighten up COVID-19 safety measures, to prevent clusters of infections among their men, and to prepare the resources needed to set up field hospitals and screening facilities to cope with the surge in COVID-19 infections.

 

General Kongcheep Tantravanich, spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, said today (Saturday) that the prime minister, who is also defence minister, also ordered troops and police to step up border surveillance, to prevent illegal immigrants from slipping into the country, and to assist ethnic Karen fleeing fighting in Myanmar.

 

During the last wave of the pandemic, many field hospitals were set up to ease the burden on general hospitals, which were overwhelmed with patients, including severe cases, many of whom needed ventilators.

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-01-09

 

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[ukrules]

They're still trying to fight the inevitable. Those field hospitals will be full of people who are not ill at all and used as quarantine camps.

 

[it is what it is]

meanwhile in the uk talk is of learning to live with the virus; no lockdown (in england), children back to school, less testing and reduced restrictions for arrivals...

[DonniePeverley]

Very misguided. They are planning as though this was the original variant. 

 

Omicron is going to rise in massive numbers and using field hospitals and isolation jails is unpractical. France yesterday reported 300,000 cases in one day, USA almost 500,000 cases, Italy 200,000 daily cases, India's rates going back to over 100,000 daily (and likely to double in numbers) - you can't physically jail this volume of your population. 

 

They are still planning things as though it was the original variant - targetting tourists, isolating positive patients, targetting hospitality (but not malls),etc They clearly have data from Europe and USA, yet are not adapting their approach.  

[internationalism]

they should mothball any field hospitals since the fist wave and never use hospitals and hospitels for asymptomatic.

Its a huge drain on health resources.

those can be run largely by health volunteers.

Many hospitals run 24h shifts, up from 8-12h pre-covid.

Huge money spinner for private hospitals doing 10k per night

 

 

[Thaiophil]

Any talk of “field hospitals”, ie giant sheds with rows of beds where asymptomatic people will be imprisoned for two weeks with a fan if they are lucky, will ensure NOBODY will want to get tested.

 

Just tell people to isolate at home like every other country

[smedly]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

During the last wave of the pandemic, many field hospitals were set up to ease the burden on general hospitals, which were overwhelmed with patients, including severe cases, many of whom needed ventilators.

are they not following events and data in other countries

 

this is not delta, based on known data about omicron it is so far showing to be a much milder disease with those vaccinated with "effective" vaccines, you cannot stop the spread of omicron - impossible

 

this knee jerk reaction from Thai authorities is questionable, maybe the Chinese vaccines are totally useless against omicron and that is why they reacting like this - not something they will admit to - that the vaccine they have used on 50% of the population is now useless - would be interesting to know

 

based on emerging data omicron is a mild disease unlike previous versions of this virus

 

waken up Thailand

 

 

[smedly]

I am aware of many people with a cold right now (omicron symptoms) - they all tested negative on ATK, do they have omicron - very highly likely, what are they all doing - ignoring the negative ATK and isolating at home for 7 days which is the right thing to do 

 

Thailand needs to get with the omicron program - they cannot stop it - they cannot lock people up - the best advise to people right now is if you have cold like symptoms then isolate at home no matter if an ATK was negative or not - it is highly likely you have omicron and should assume so, if your symptoms seriously worsen after a few days like breathing difficulties etc then seek medical attention. 

[aussienam]

4 hours ago, Thaiophil said:

Any talk of “field hospitals”, ie giant sheds with rows of beds where asymptomatic people will be imprisoned for two weeks with a fan if they are lucky, will ensure NOBODY will want to get tested.

 

Just tell people to isolate at home like every other country

I tested positive last year and isolated at home after the hospital agreed I was not ill enough to be hospitalized.  Just sent temp and blood oxygen results twice a day in LINE app as directed.  They already have self isolation in place as an option. 

I suppose those who co-habitate in households unsuitable for isolation with non-infected may be told to go to a field hospital, hospital, hospitel. There are hospitals trying to profiteer of course and bluff you into being admitted.  That has been noted as a problem here in Thailand.

[Thaiophil]

@aussienam good to know tx. I have cold like symptoms but ATK test negative