By Thai PBS World’s General Desk

 

Thailand is preparing to declare COVID-19 an endemic disease this year despite a rising number of infections and warnings from the World Health Organization (WHO).

 

Dr Opart Karnkawinpong, head of the Disease Control Department, insisted on Friday (Jan 14) that Thailand was not standing in opposition to the world health agency and its advice. The fact was, he continued, that when it came to management of COVID-19, Thailand is merely a step ahead of WHO and many other nations.

 

“We have been pioneers on this front in many aspects,” said Opart, citing the cross-vaccination program and reopening of the country via the Phuket Sandbox tourism scheme. “This is because we look ahead,” he explained.

 

He added that Thailand would not declare COVID-19 an endemic disease right away. But with foresight, the government was working to build public understanding of what an endemic means and how they can transition out of a pandemic that has killed millions and wreaked financial havoc over the past two years.

 

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Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/is-thailand-rushing-to-categorize-covid-19-an-endemic-disease/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-01-15

 

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The virus doesn't care how it is categorized. 

 

It will attempt to infect so many people that hospitals are filled. Once that happens, we are back to square one. 

I know a few people here in the Pattaya area who have or have had this Omricon variant and ALL of them report mild symptoms. They have all been vaccinated.

35 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand is preparing to declare COVID-19 an endemic disease this year despite a rising number of infections and warnings from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Oh come on now...what is this fear mongering when Thailand is finally following the smarter bunch?

 

Even Moderna has said the same on Bloomberg today

Moderna co-founder tells Bloomberg News that 2022 may be the year the pandemic enters the endemic phase.

11 hours ago, RandiRona said:

 

Hospitals in the US are at historically high levels of admissions. This does not support your premise. 

12 minutes ago, Kenchamp said:

I know a few people here in the Pattaya area who have or have had this Omricon variant and ALL of them report mild symptoms. They have all been vaccinated.

Ditto here. 

 

Vaccination seems to be effective in preventing Omicron symptoms. 

For me a critical question is "what has Thailand's leaders learned from the pandemic so far?"  I recall seeing a press release earlier this week that referenced population immunity.  I'm afraid that we're seeing the same "Hope for the best, plan for the best" mentality that was the foundation of the vaccine debacle in 2021.  What if, as data suggests and many predicted, this coronavirus, like other coronaviruses that infect humans, does not trigger long-lasting immune memory?  What is their plan in this scenario? Considering the person leading Thailand's health agency I'd expect silence on such nuance.

Sounds about right, it is here to stay.  Though does it really matter what label you put on it.

 

Only thing sad is, they have to explain what 'endemic' is.  Oh my  ...  can Thai accept that ????

57 minutes ago, webfact said:

The fact was, he continued, that when it came to management of COVID-19, Thailand is merely a step ahead of WHO and many other nations.

 

“We have been pioneers on this front in many aspects,” said Opart, citing the cross-vaccination program and reopening of the country via the Phuket Sandbox tourism scheme. “This is because we look ahead,” he explained.

????

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The fact was, he continued, that when it came to management of COVID-19, Thailand is merely a step ahead of WHO and many other nations.

 

“We have been pioneers on this front in many aspects,”

Agreed, pioneers in a lesson on how to decimate the tourist industry leaving hundreds of thousands destitute, on food handouts and next to zero support. I wont even go into their continued ignorance in the education of their children by their school closures.

Hubris 101

32 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

Hospitals in the US are at historically high levels of admissions. This does not support your premise. 

Neither does Australian Omicron death statistics which are about to reach record levels.

 

Omicron "may" be less severe, but its making up for it in volume.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 “This is because we look ahead,” he explained

????????????????

Omicron is not done with us/US, but we now have >155,000 hospitalizations, nearly 26,000 patients in ICUs, and as reported today another almost 2,800 people who died—the majority of all of these outcomes eminently preventable + >926,000 confirmed new cases

https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1482154850125160449

 

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand is merely a step ahead of WHO and many other nations.

Oh yes , modesty begets you Doctor Opart.

5 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Not all these though right?

 

Omicron is not done with us/US, but we now have >155,000 hospitalizations, nearly 26,000 patients in ICUs, and as reported today another almost 2,800 people who died—the majority of all of these outcomes eminently preventable + >926,000 confirmed new cases

https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1482154850125160449

 

Does the linkshow how many are unvaccinated or are ant-vaccers

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Dr Opart Karnkawinpong, head of the Disease Control Department, insisted on Friday (Jan 14) that Thailand was not standing in opposition to the world health agency and its advice. The fact was, he continued, that when it came to management of COVID-19, Thailand is merely a step ahead of WHO and many other nations.

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Does the linkshow how many are unvaccinated or are ant-vaccers

No but the US falls way short of the UK's immunity wall. Link to actual hospital cases source is here https://newsnodes.com/us

 

The unvaccinated will probably be making up the majority in ICU

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Dr Opart Karnkawinpong, head of the Disease Control Department, insisted on Friday (Jan 14) that Thailand was not standing in opposition to the world health agency and its advice. The fact was, he continued, that when it came to management of COVID-19, Thailand is merely a step ahead of WHO and many other nations.

 

“We have been pioneers on this front in many aspects,” said Opart, citing the cross-vaccination program and reopening of the country via the Phuket Sandbox tourism scheme. “This is because we look ahead,” he explained.

Amazing Thailand !

Other words fail me.

12 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Does the linkshow how many are unvaccinated or are ant-vaccers

or are delta, UK omicron cases went through the roof as we know - those needing high level elivated care have stayed flat - no spike...........nothing, in fact down slightly

13 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Does the linkshow how many are unvaccinated or are ant-vaccers

Indeed they are.  

But I digress,

This will go into the endemic phase, which is the end of the pandemic.  The only question is when.  Many researchers think this is it - once this wave is finished the pandemic should be over.  

The only way to be certain is to wait some months and see what happens.  

There seems to be a real fear among some nations to say that what is happening is in fact good news - it is highly infectious and has about the same outcome as the common cold, vaccination status and on the brink of death cases not included.  

The fear is letting people run around without masks and really overload the system.  I feel in the next months, if they are correct, mask mandates will go the way of the dinosaur and things may start to return slowly to normal.  

We live in very interesting times.  

1 minute ago, smedly said:

or are delta, UK omicron cases went through the roof as we know - those needing high level elivated care have stayed flat - no spike...........nothing, in fact down slightly

The stats are there and don't lie do they?  

It's nearly time to stick a fork in this pandemic and call it over.  WE just have several billion more people for this to sweep through.  

 

23 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

No but the US falls way short of the UK's immunity wall. Link to actual hospital cases source is here https://newsnodes.com/us

 

The unvaccinated will probably be making up the majority in ICU

It's difficult to get the actual % of un/anti's from uk. I've seen on various news reports on uk figures varying from 60% to 90% of those requiring hospital treatment. BBC/ITV? did show an interview with one lady who was now recoving in hospital and when asked  Do you think now you should have gone for vaccination she would only answer 'maybe'.

 

1 hour ago, meechai said:

Oh come on now...what is this fear mongering when Thailand is finally following the smarter bunch?

 

Even Moderna has said the same on Bloomberg today

Moderna co-founder tells Bloomberg News that 2022 may be the year the pandemic enters the endemic phase.

It's in line with UK announcements too. We'll done Thailand.

The ol staple “hospital beds are filling” again routine. 

1 hour ago, LoveThai94 said:

Those are the old days, hospitals in the US now have a security  at the front or a chain on the door and a phone to call to see if they will let you in.

 

You better call the ambulance if you are really sick to get by the red tape, not sure about this one.

All around where I am here in Oregon the hospitals are open and accepting walk in patients, albeit if they think they might have covid they go in through a dedicated entrance.  No phone calls and no calling the ambulance as you say.  I landed in the US just a few days ago and as much Covid is supposedly infecting folks, you could only tell by reduced amounts of employee's to stock shelves and work in the restaurants and in the air as well as police and firefighters.  Nurses are also short staffed but others are picking up the slack and making some bank.

3 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

All around where I am here in Oregon the hospitals are open and accepting walk in patients, albeit if they think they might have covid they go in through a dedicated entrance.  No phone calls and no calling the ambulance as you say.  I landed in the US just a few days ago and as much Covid is supposedly infecting folks, you could only tell by reduced amounts of employee's to stock shelves and work in the restaurants and in the air as well as police and firefighters.  Nurses are also short staffed but others are picking up the slack and making some bank.

I am not disputing that many are sick in America.

The poster said people in the US shows up to the hospitals for minor issues and not necessarily sick. To prevent this many hospital are not just allowing you to walk in.

 

I have seen this in Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois and New York.

 

They keep throwing the word "endemic" around as if it's synonymous with "safe".

 

It's not.

 

Ebola is endemic in East-Central and West Africa and has a very high mortality rate.

 

Declaring a disease endemic does not mean it's safe........it means it's always there.

 

It means it hasn't gone away.

 

Dengue Fever is endemic in Thailand.

 

They really just seem to be looking for a "form of words" that they can place in front of a generally ignorant and easily manipulated population.........prior to abandoning restrictions.

 

 

5 minutes ago, Enoon said:

They really just seem to be looking for a "form of words" that they can place in front of a generally ignorant and easily manipulated population.........prior to abandoning restrictions.

Do you really think that the government is keen to remove restrictions while the people are demanding they stay?  Because it seems like the exact opposite to me.

3 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Do you really think that the government is keen to remove restrictions while the people are demanding they stay?  Because it seems like the exact opposite to me.

What is the reason for their "eagerness" to start using the word "endemic"?