Was offered a saliva test kit at the pharmacy as an alternative to the nasal swab.

 

Any real differences in accuracy reliablilty? obviously a nasal swab is a tad uncomfortable but if more dependable will stay with that option.

6 minutes ago, sapson said:

Was offered a saliva test kit at the pharmacy as an alternative to the nasal swab.

 

Any real differences in accuracy reliablilty? obviously a nasal swab is a tad uncomfortable but if more dependable will stay with that option.

The newest studies are saying that the saliva tests are showing a positive test before the Nasal swabs as the Omicron variant is showing up in the throat first before moving into the nasal passages.

 

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20211229/Study-suggests-saliva-swabs-may-be-more-suitable-for-omicron-detection.aspx

A team of scientists from South Africa has recently demonstrated that saliva swabs are more effective than mid-turbinate swabs for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection of omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

As Omicron has seen SARS-CoV-2 revert to being airborne transmissible amongst mice, further indicating its laboratory passing origins, I sincerely doubt than a non naturally endemic disease can become endemic. Just more changes ahead to make it more transmissible and virulent in people as it continues to deattenuate back to its highly-chimeric V-1000 form. 

 

 

1 hour ago, realfunster said:

Good grief.

Spanish flu 1918-19

Great depression 1929

WW2 1939

 

I suppose Spanish flu was also to blame for the Tsumami of 2004 and the GFC in 2009?

What Dialemco said was actually valid. Historians have made a lot connection between Spanish Flu and then the subsequent societal and economical changes, which eventually lead to Great Depression and World War 2. Of course Spanish Flu was not to blame directly. But what happens with the deep rooted fear and collective reaction, then subsequent impact on society as a whole, caused a ripple effect that, as some history nerd would say, changed the course of history. 

 

Sometimes when an event happened in history, its long deep impact would not be felt one decade later. For example, WW2's root cause was with us even before WW1. BLM movement had its start well before Floyd and you could thank Ferguson (Missouri) for it. 

 

A big historical event has its unique way comes back to haunt the world. For instance, the current xenophobia in Thailand is largely due to the aftershock of 1997 financial meltdown (you are welcome to disagree). 

 

What made events like Spanish Flu, or Covid pandemic potentially dangerous, is that these event can be a key part that stimulate a Perfect Storm, something can be described in Chaos Theory. It may not be the direct cause of a certain historical event, but if it did not happen, some of the subsequent event would not have happened.

 

5 hours ago, smedly said:

The virus dictates where this goes from here not you 

 

You can manage the efffects which you have failed miserably these last 2 years doing untold damage with stupid rules and quite frankly poor choices - I don't see that changing while the same poeple are running the show

Here here, MOPH could that be a euphemism for My Old Pops Hemmaroyds!  might just as well be.

Something is stopping the exponential growth of Omicron in Europe and America. Let's hope that something is also available in Thailand. 

Finally, common sense. The ones who are a bit more scared should take a weekly injection and let the other ones live their life. Done ????

25 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

The newest studies are saying that the saliva tests are showing a positive test before the Nasal swabs as the Omicron variant is showing up in the throat first before moving into the nasal passages.

 

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20211229/Study-suggests-saliva-swabs-may-be-more-suitable-for-omicron-detection.aspx

A team of scientists from South Africa has recently demonstrated that saliva swabs are more effective than mid-turbinate swabs for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection of omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

Correct. Nasal swabbing often misses Omicron because it has changed addresses. It is no longer binding as efficiently to the ACE2 receptors at the back of the nose. Instead it is largely binding to the epithelial cells at the back of the throat and lining the respiratory tract. Delta is still happy at the back of the nose though so both need to be swabbed. Self conducted tests are about 15% less accurate than those taken by a laboratory technician and about 10% less accurate than those taken by a medical professional. 
 

13 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

Something is stopping the exponential growth of Omicron in Europe and America. Let's hope that something is also available in Thailand. 

I don't know where you're getting that statement from, but let's stick with the facts. The US reported 1.35 million cases yesterday, a global record. Meanwhile WHO says Omicron could infect 50% of Europeans in next two months.  

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/11/omicron-europe-tidal-wave-who  

4 minutes ago, Yme said:

I don't know where you're getting that statement from, but let's stick with the facts. The US reported 1.35 million cases yesterday, a global record. Meanwhile WHO says Omicron could infect 50% of Europeans in next two months.  

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/11/omicron-europe-tidal-wave-who  

I use Worldometer, but even with 1.35 million cases, the growth is not exponential.  On Monday, in the US, the case numbers are higher, due to some states not reporting during weekends.

 

You would probably agree that Omicron numbers have stabilized in Europe.
 

 

19 minutes ago, jeanrem said:

Finally, common sense. The ones who are a bit more scared should take a weekly injection and let the other ones live their life. Done ????

Remind me why people have to resort to extreme measures because you don’t want to follow the rules….

2 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

I use Worldometer, but even with 1.35 million cases, the growth is not exponential.  On Monday, in the US, the case numbers are higher, due to some states not reporting during weekends.

 

You would probably agree that Omicron numbers have stabilized in Europe.
 

 

Didn't even bother to look at the link, did you?  

Hans Kluge, the WHO’s Europe director, said the region had recorded more than 7m new cases in the first week of 2022, double the rate a fortnight previously, with more than 1% of the population catching Covid-19 each week in 26 countries.

Sounds pretty exponential to me. 

4 hours ago, DjSilver said:

I have covid and I'm happy ???? don't tell the Thai government since I'm flying next week and don't need a pcr-test so will fly positive. However, it will be more than 7 days since I got it.????

So hope you can sleep well if you infect someone in bad health and that poor person really suffers or worse, The old <deleted> Jack I'm ok, 

12 minutes ago, Yme said:

Hans Kluge, the WHO’s Europe director, said the region had recorded more than 7m new cases in the first week of 2022, double the rate a fortnight previously, with more than 1% of the population catching Covid-19 each week in 26 countries.

Sounds pretty exponential to me. 

 

The case numbers certainly are looking UP!

 

 

Source weblink

4 hours ago, DjSilver said:

I have covid and I'm happy ???? don't tell the Thai government since I'm flying next week and don't need a pcr-test so will fly positive. However, it will be more than 7 days since I got it.????

Yes, I had a positive test last year, and nothing happened.

Had a negative test last week, and I had a runny nose for a whole day.

I must be antisympanmatic or something, how queer.

6 hours ago, SymS said:

This is good news, That means COVID-19 should soon be treated like the flu. No more lockdowns, quarantines, and the likes...

In the meantime the Thai government will continue to blame the vaccinated foreigners.........

44 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The case numbers certainly are looking UP!

 

 

Source weblink

 

And further, from Reuters today:

 

U.S. reports 1.35 million COVID-19 cases in a day, shattering global record

January 11, 2022

 

Jan 11 (Reuters) – The United States reported 1.35 million new coronavirus infections on Monday, according to a Reuters tally, the highest daily total for any country in the world as the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant showed no signs of slowing.

 

The previous record was 1.03 million cases on Jan. 3. A large number of cases are reported each Monday due to many states not reporting over the weekend. The seven-day average for new cases has tripled in two weeks to over 700,000 new infections a day.

 

The record in new cases came the same day as the nation saw the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients also hit an all-time high, having doubled in three weeks, according to a Reuters tally.

 

(more)

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/u-s-reports-1-35-million-covid-19-cases-in-a-day-shattering-global-record/

 

And for all the Omicron "it's just the flu" folks posting here, note the last paragraph of the article excerpt above:

 

"The record in new cases came the same day as the nation saw the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients also hit an all-time high, having doubled in three weeks, according to a Reuters tally."

 

In the U.S., they're not putting/admitting COVID patients into hospital just because they've tested positive and are asymptomatic.

 

 

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

<snip> 

Why do some people want to insist this is just about Big Pharma making gazillions..

Never let the facts stand in the way of a good conspiracy! 

Don't you know nuffink? ????

2 hours ago, Yme said:

Didn't even bother to look at the link, did you?  

Hans Kluge, the WHO’s Europe director, said the region had recorded more than 7m new cases in the first week of 2022, double the rate a fortnight previously, with more than 1% of the population catching Covid-19 each week in 26 countries.

Sounds pretty exponential to me. 

That’s a bit misleading. Grouping European countries together mixes countries where Omicron has already peaked with countries where Omicron infections are just starting, and where the numbers are spiking.

 

My contention is that Omicron has passed its peak already in many countries. I don’t think you can argue with that.

"MOPH intends to manage COVID-19's Transition into Endemic this year."  Translation:  the virus is becoming endemic because of a mysterious mutation we don't yet understand.  It's going away.  Let's figure out a way to take credit for that.  

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

That’s a bit misleading. Grouping European countries together mixes countries where Omicron has already peaked with countries where Omicron infections are just starting, and where the numbers are spiking.

On the facts, yes of course you're right, the data are clear and right there on the CDC website, the WHO (I love saying that), ourworldindata, etc.  But realize that most people are getting their news filtered from political sources like "news" papers.  (clickbait factories) and so are being told polarizing narratives such as the pandemic is already over, don't wear masks, or else the pandemic will 100% overcrowd all our hospitals if you don't wear a mask.  Everybody has advice for everyone else.... but nobody has any advice for the less than 1% that are "in control."  

 

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

 

My contention is that Omicron has passed its peak already in many countries. I don’t think you can argue with that.

Dude, yes they can and will.  My advice, don't bother arguing about this.  It's a religion with some people that this virus has to be the worst thing ever.  It's to do with American politics, Trump, Biden, etc.  The science supports you.  You can come back and say "I told you so" but by then the hatred will have mutated to another form.  Probably we'll all go back to being racists.  Cheers and enjoy the empty beaches!  

 

13 hours ago, SymS said:

This is good news, That means COVID-19 should soon be treated like the flu. No more lockdowns, quarantines, and the likes...

The RT-PCR has been shown ineffective and to show false positive for some time, as it picks up the common Human type corona virus and has an S gene dropout when testing for omicron, so not a good test, the testing is changing WW, now- but someone made plenty in the meantime.

But good news for Thailand, they are waking up as this is proving to be much milder and most Thais probably don't even report it, they just treat it as Pben Wat , the flue, both my Mother and Law and sister in law who work in Markets in Hua Hin say no one sick.

Hospitals in the UK reporting 50% of omicron cases are coincidental.

3 hours ago, kiwikeith said:

The RT-PCR has been shown ineffective and to show false positive for some time, as it picks up the common Human type corona virus and has an S gene dropout when testing for omicron, so not a good test, the testing is changing WW, now- but someone made plenty in the meantime.

But good news for Thailand, they are waking up as this is proving to be much milder and most Thais probably don't even report it, they just treat it as Pben Wat , the flue, both my Mother and Law and sister in law who work in Markets in Hua Hin say no one sick.

Hospitals in the UK reporting 50% of omicron cases are coincidental.

You have managed an almost totally fact free post. 

 

Please provide a link to support your lies. You are going to have a problem, because you relied on some internet garbage that you believed. 

14 hours ago, Cherrytreeview said:

Only have to shove swabs up your nose and down your throat to get into the pub.

Oh well, used to be one had to run the smoker's gauntlet...... or be subjected to second hand stuff here. One has to be dedicated to be a drinker and prepared to make sacrifices!

Some places might insist one orders food first... heaven forbid, who eats on an empty stomach?

You do not govern covid! Covid governs you.

Tell me please what will you do differently than the rest of the world?

18 hours ago, realfunster said:

Good grief.

Spanish flu 1918-19

Great depression 1929

WW2 1939

 

I suppose Spanish flu was also to blame for the Tsumami of 2004 and the GFC in 2009?

According to Western economists, 2022 is likely to see inflation rise above 7% per annum.  Highly unlikely wages and income will increase in line with such a rise.  Now we see increased tensions around the globe... there is a cycle to history.  And humanity has yet to learn how to break the cycle. Soon... nothing to laugh at.

 

20 hours ago, Jiggo said:

As the W.H.O. first declared that covid 19 as  pandemic in March 20, on a global scale, can not see how Thailand can downgrade to an Epidemic, only in the way the virus is handled by Anutin and his cronies. 

 

21 hours ago, Cherrytreeview said:

You should know.

Thailand has the most unequal distribution of wealth of any country in SE Asia and a disgrace of an education system.

Combined with no furlough support for their citizens during the pandemic and a pitiful vaccination campaign that still hasn't 70% double jabbed and only 11% with a booster.

It's going to take decades to replace 20% of tourism GDP.

Thailand always goes back to lying on it's back and opening it's legs to earn a dollar.

Guess that's what brought you here in the first place.

Your last sentence is perfectly true but the rest pure garbage.

I first came here in 99 on the back of an acrimonious divorce but the whoring was short lived and been with the same lady for 18 years. Came to live here when I retired in 2008.

My wife was a financial director at a European company till she retired in 2014 and both her nieces went through the state education system. You obviously have some difficulty getting past the falang perception.

19 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

Remind me why people have to resort to extreme measures because you don’t want to follow the rules….

Maybe because some others are doing things without questioning much.. I forgot labs need people in perfect health to survive..isn't it a business ? no for sure... 

Also, maybe because people take continuously something that does't work... I am wondering why everyone is not drinking beer with 0% alcohol... same taste, same everything but not drunk... I don't know if it would be working that much... 

20 hours ago, kennw said:

So hope you can sleep well if you infect someone in bad health and that poor person really suffers or worse, The old <deleted> Jack I'm ok, 

Of course I can sleep well and why would I care if I infect anyone? ????

22 hours ago, WinterGael said:

Many European countries already have assumed that COVID is endemic, meaning heard immunity is highly unlikely

Under an endemic, herd immunity is far more likely as a higher and higher percentage get infected and develop immunity.

 

As the unvaccinated now account for 90% of serious illness, herd immunity will improve by natural selection