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Virologist Warns That Children Can Trigger COVID-19 Clusters

webfact

By webfact
in Thailand News

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webfact Grand Master Member

webfact

Posted
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40d7429162c725024ff695900c7650f3_small.jpg

 

By Paul Rujopakarn

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - Thailand’s top virologist has warned that children could become superspreaders of COVID-19, especially for the Omicron coronavirus variant, which is more transmissible than previous strains.

 

Dr Yong Poovorawan, head of the Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine, expressed his concerns in an online post on Monday. He said that because infected children have mild or no symptoms, they can potentially become superspreaders by transmitting the virus to their parents.

 

According to Dr Yong, there is a high chance of COVID clusters emerging from schools as a result of children’s interactions after taking online classes at home for an extended period. He said vaccines for children must be effective in order to keep young people from becoming infected and spreading the virus to others.

 

He urged parents to boost their immunity by getting vaccinated if they have not been infected so their children can resume normal activities, especially at school.

 

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dinsdale Diamond Member

dinsdale

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Once again right up with current affairs viz-a-viz SARS-CoV-2. This was and is still the case for Delta so this "Breaking News" from yet another Thai 'expert' is months out of date. As for schools they have always been hot beds for virul spread. Same as public transport.

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roquefort Silver Member

roquefort

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Posted
3 hours ago, webfact said:

He said vaccines for children must be effective in order to keep young people from becoming infected and spreading the virus to others.

Doesn't he know that vaccines don't stop you becoming infected? This is an expert?

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Petey11 Silver Member

Petey11

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, RichardColeman said:

Coming to a town near you soon

th?id=OIP.KzMLqO0QVC8uqsnWiaZVgwHaEr&pid=Api&P=0&w=301&h=190

 

Funny but we know what Thai authorities are like, they probably would.

Petey11 Silver Member

Petey11

Posted
Posted
27 minutes ago, 2 is 1 said:

Some officials try to close school's here in Finland but schools stay open! Even has most infected than ever, its much more harmful to kids stay home that go to study. 

 

Quarantine and testing rules for schools come under criticism in Finland

 

https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/20763-quarantine-and-testing-rules-for-schools-come-under-criticism-in-finland.html

Same UK but political suicide if they done that on a whim. UK government has basically said it would be a last resort.

Bluespunk Star Member

Bluespunk

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that because infected children have mild or no symptoms, they can potentially become superspreaders by transmitting the virus to their parents.

This is hardly new information.

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hotchilli Star Member

hotchilli

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s top virologist has warned that children could become superspreaders of COVID-19, especially for the Omicron coronavirus variant, which is more transmissible than previous strains.

Next door neighbours kids returned to school in mid December, Mon/Wed/Fri with online lessons Tues/Thurs... it's now closed again.

ArcticFox Silver Member

ArcticFox

Posted
Posted

Yong just ramping up the fear to extend to 'fear of children' which will end in more school closures.  The Thai school system is poor at best, but the continual school closures and masking and decrees on movement and congregation will make this group of Gen-Alpha a truly 'lost generation.' 

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BritManToo Star Member

BritManToo

Posted
Posted
19 minutes ago, ArcticFox said:

Yong just ramping up the fear to extend to 'fear of children' which will end in more school closures.  The Thai school system is poor at best, but the continual school closures and masking and decrees on movement and congregation will make this group of Gen-Alpha a truly 'lost generation.' 

You're assuming schools will open again at some time in the future.

I'm not so sure anything will ever get back to normal, as we knew it.

DrPhibes Gold Member

DrPhibes

Posted
Posted
20 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Coming to a town near you soon

th?id=OIP.KzMLqO0QVC8uqsnWiaZVgwHaEr&pid=Api&P=0&w=301&h=190

 

You beat me to it!  Had already downloaded the same pic just from the post title!!! 

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richard_smith237 Star Member

richard_smith237

Posted
Posted (edited)
22 hours ago, roquefort said:
On 1/11/2022 at 11:07 AM, webfact said:

He said vaccines for children must be effective in order to keep young people from becoming infected and spreading the virus to others.

Doesn't he know that vaccines don't stop you becoming infected? This is an expert?

Don’t you know that vaccines are still effective at stopping spread of the Pre-Omicron variants. 

 

Additionally, vaccines are also effective a preventing a person from contracting Omicron, however, they are not as effective against Omicron than earlier variants, hence the higher number of breakthrough Omicron infections.

 

This idea that the Vaccines are 100% ineffective against Omicron is incorrect. Additionally, vaccination minimises the risk of anyone (children included) in developing symptoms and thus, they carry a reduced viral load and while they may remain contagious, they do so to a lesser degree for a shorter period of time. 

 

Thus: While in many cases vaccines are not ‘preventing’ the transmission of omicron, they are still an effective tool.

 

That said, given the R number of Omicron and the high population density of schools I still see Omicron spreading significantly - that is to say, where as pre-vaccine 50-80% of school children could contract and spread Omicron, post vaccination that could be less than 50%.

 

Those figures are just pulled out of the air of course, but that is the difference and benefit I understand vaccinations offer a school community under current conditions and risk of Omicron and the still ever present Delta variants. 

 

The other facet is the vaccines effectiveness against the Delta variant and that means children are far less likely to take Delta home to their parents and grandparents who, if they are not vaccinated or have not been ‘boosted’ in the past 6 months are at risk. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by richard_smith237
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Stargeezr Platinum Member

Stargeezr

Posted
Posted

This should worry not only the people in Thailand, but everywhere.  Considering that omicron is not the only variant of

COVID 19 that still exists, some people are still sick or getting sick from other variants. I am just watching some Canadian news, and in Quebec 

hospital cases have spiked and the ICU wards are getting full. The health workers are burned out and many are sick, but

the people who are getting sick do not seem to care about this situation. I just hope that the hospitals in Thailand do not

face this problem. Good Luck to all of you. Many children in Canada are also getting sick. more good news to come

next week.

BangkokReady Diamond Member

BangkokReady

Posted
Posted
On 1/11/2022 at 11:07 AM, webfact said:

According to Dr Yong, there is a high chance of COVID clusters emerging from schools as a result of children’s interactions after taking online classes at home for an extended period.

Yes, obviously.  It has been that way since the beginning.  Is anyone reading this and saying "Oh sh*t, kids can spread it?!!!"?

DavisH Platinum Member

DavisH

Posted
Posted
55 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

You're assuming schools will open again at some time in the future.

I'm not so sure anything will ever get back to normal, as we knew it.

There's only another 6 weeks or so left in the school year for Thai schools. We have been back online since the New year break. If we don't go back next week, I suspect schools will be shut the rest of the semester - with reconsideration being given every 2 weeks. Then there is a long break. 

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BritManToo Star Member

BritManToo

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1 hour ago, ozimoron said:

There's no reason that schools won't open again as soon as most kids are vaccinated. The closures are sensible until that happens.

You keep saying the same thing.

But the vaccinations don't stop anyone from catching or spreading it.

So why the need to vaccinate children? They'll still spread it vaccinated or not.

As they don't get serious symptoms, they don't need the vaccinations.

 

There's no logic to your PoV.

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JustAnotherHun Gold Member

JustAnotherHun

Posted
Posted (edited)

To close the schools run by government again will have not much impact to the "education" and skills of the kids.

That's why I pay a fortune for my son's international school.

Edited by JustAnotherHun
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richard_smith237 Star Member

richard_smith237

Posted
Posted
17 minutes ago, BritManToo said:
1 hour ago, ozimoron said:

There's no reason that schools won't open again as soon as most kids are vaccinated. The closures are sensible until that happens.

You keep saying the same thing.

But the vaccinations don't stop anyone from catching or spreading it.

So why the need to vaccinate children? They'll still spread it vaccinated or not.

As they don't get serious symptoms, they don't need the vaccinations.

 

There's no logic to your PoV.

Your PoV seems to be that vaccinations are 100% ineffective against someone catching Covid-19 and spreading it so there is no point taking a vaccine - this is not true. 

 

The increased presence of ‘breakthrough’ infections of Omicron compared to Delta does not identify that vaccinations (and boosters) are ineffective. It does identify that vaccines are not as effective for Omicron as they are for previous variants. 

 

While it has been found that the vast majority of Children do not succumb to the symptoms of a Covid-19 infection, vaccinations will play a roll in ensuring reduced numbers of children in schools are carriers. I point out again, that while vaccines are not effective for everyone against Covid-19 (and Omicron) they are still effective for many.

 

These same vaccines are still effective against earlier variants which children may otherwise carry home to parents and elderly who are either still unvaccinated or have not yet received boosters and have waning antibodies. 

 

 

Thus: While I do not agree with closing the schools. I do agree with taking continued practical measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 - in this case, vaccination of children. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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BritManToo Star Member

BritManToo

Posted
Posted
43 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

While it has been found that the vast majority of Children do not succumb to the symptoms of a Covid-19 infection, vaccinations will play a roll in ensuring reduced numbers of children in schools are carriers. I point out again, that while vaccines are not effective for everyone against Covid-19 (and Omicron) they are still effective for many.

Complete BS.

Nothing is stopping the spread.

Calling it 'breakthrough' infections just sounds better than admitting the vaccines didn't work.

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ozimoron Star Member

ozimoron

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Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

You keep saying the same thing.

But the vaccinations don't stop anyone from catching or spreading it.

So why the need to vaccinate children? They'll still spread it vaccinated or not.

As they don't get serious symptoms, they don't need the vaccinations.

 

There's no logic to your PoV.

False. Vaccines are proven to reduce infection and transmission of the virus. Stop listening to talk back radio.

 

The paediatric admission in hospitals is higher for omicron than delta. Some children have died from omicron. This post is an outright lie.

Edited by ozimoron
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