Omicron containment “not possible,” boosters and public health measures are “correct response”

[webfact]

 

By Cod Satrusayang

 

Thailand is unlikely to contain the fast-spread Omicron variant of Covid-19 unlike previous strains where the country was successful in curtailing and isolating outbreaks, a senior doctor told Thai Enquirer on Friday.

 

The Omicron variant, first identified in South Africa, is the most dominant strain of Covid-19 in Thailand replacing the Delta strain. It is faster spreading than previously identified variants.

 

The spread of Omicron has contributed to a sharp rise in daily case numbers with 27,071 new cases reported on Friday. Though milder than previous strains, there were still 80 fatalities reported over the same time period.

 

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Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/38712/omicron-containment-not-possible-boosters-and-public-health-measures-are-correct-response/

 

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-- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2022-03-18

 

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[internationalism]

songkran going will full power of inter provincial travel in tens of  millions, shopping malls, restaurants opened without any prevention measures, yet foreigners have to have 3 tests, quarantine and insurance, which doesn't cover hospitel. Seems a little bias against them.

if they didn't cancel T&G in December and not introduced 5th day testing they would have hundreds of thousands more tourists by now

 

[vandeventer]

2 hours ago, internationalism said:

songkran going will full power of inter provincial travel in tens of  millions, shopping malls, restaurants opened without any prevention measures, yet foreigners have to have 3 tests, quarantine and insurance, which doesn't cover hospitel. Seems a little bias against them.

if they didn't cancel T&G in December and not introduced 5th day testing they would have hundreds of thousands more tourists by now

 

Just make sure you wear your mask.

[Jimbo2014]

I feel like this article is from 3 months ago.  The rest of the world has realised this and moved on now.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand is unlikely to contain the fast-spread Omicron variant of Covid-19 unlike previous strains where the country was successful in curtailing and isolating outbreaks, a senior doctor told Thai Enquirer on Friday

Oh what short memories some people have.

[zzaa09]

37 minutes ago, Jimbo2014 said:

I feel like this article is from 3 months ago.  The rest of the world has realised this and moved on now.

What we still haven't realized is that with every successive mutated variant, the bug is less symptomatic and severe [vaccinated or not]. Could of called this with the original strain, as it was nasty and fatal as given influenza outbreak - nothing more, nothing less. 

 

The unnecessary and highly manufactured panic and paranoia was never worthy of any consequence. 

It appears that some authoritarian bodies, the world over, are still looking to squeeze as much false concern as possible........because, the fabricated crisis benefits them in the long of it. 

 

The time has come that we get over ourselves and absorb the reality of what is and what isn't. 

[spidermike007]

Omicron has been contained in the majority of the world. The correct headline should read "Omicron impossible to contain, while a bottom of the barrel health minister continues to fail at his job". It was the selection of the least qualified man possible for this position, combined with a failed vaccination effort, a selection of the lowest quality vaccine available, extremely selective shutdowns, favoring cronies with canning plants, factories, construction sites and the army bases, which became super spreader sites, that caused Thailand to fail, in it's effort to contain Covid. 

 

Time for some adults to start speaking truth. 

[RubbaJohnny]

Bug is almost opposite of the regime less and less dangerous

[GroveHillWanderer]

1 hour ago, zzaa09 said:

Could of called this with the original strain, as it was nasty and fatal as given influenza outbreak - nothing more, nothing less. 

While the Omicron strain of Covid does seem less deadly than the preceding ones, when taken in the round, Covid has proven much more deadly than the flu.

 

In a little over two years, this virus has officially caused the deaths of something around 6 million people worldwide (although the latest estimates based on excess mortality figures put the number at over 18 million).

 

COVID's Death Toll 3 Times Worse Than Official Counts

 

Even at the lower figure though, that still comes out at nearly 3 million per year, or roughly 5 to 10 times worse than the flu. WHO data puts the yearly toll of flu at 290,000 to 650,000 deaths, globally.

 

COVID-19 vs the Flu

Edited March 18, 2022 by GroveHillWanderer

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, zzaa09 said:

What we still haven't realized is that with every successive mutated variant, the bug is less symptomatic and severe [vaccinated or not]. Could of called this with the original strain, as it was nasty and fatal as given influenza outbreak - nothing more, nothing less. 

 

The unnecessary and highly manufactured panic and paranoia was never worthy of any consequence. 

It appears that some authoritarian bodies, the world over, are still looking to squeeze as much false concern as possible........because, the fabricated crisis benefits them in the long of it. 

 

The time has come that we get over ourselves and absorb the reality of what is and what isn't. 

That is blatantly false information  Later variants are NOT NECCESARILY less severe

 

Omicron is.

 

That doesn't tell us about all future variants.

[CLW]

2 hours ago, Jimbo2014 said:

I feel like this article is from 3 months ago.  The rest of the world has realised this and moved on now.

Thailand always a bit behind to the rest of the world. Especially in regards to Covid rules

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, CLW said:

Thailand always a bit behind to the rest of the world. Especially in regards to Covid rules

Each country is on a different timeline.

For example a country right now with 2 percent vaccinated, should they have the same mitigation policies as another country with 90 percent?

[Blumpie]

3 hours ago, Jimbo2014 said:

I feel like this article is from 3 months ago.  The rest of the world has realised this and moved on now.

I think the water in Thailand is making some people even stupider.  When I pointed this out recently I was accused of being an anti-vaxer.  

Yes, we have all moved on.  WE have no mandates here, hospitalizations are minor and dropping every day and I haven't worn a mask in over  a month.  

Life is normal here.  

[Walker88]

2 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

What we still haven't realized is that with every successive mutated variant, the bug is less symptomatic and severe [vaccinated or not]. Could of called this with the original strain, as it was nasty and fatal as given influenza outbreak - nothing more, nothing less. 

 

The unnecessary and highly manufactured panic and paranoia was never worthy of any consequence. 

It appears that some authoritarian bodies, the world over, are still looking to squeeze as much false concern as possible........because, the fabricated crisis benefits them in the long of it. 

 

The time has come that we get over ourselves and absorb the reality of what is and what isn't. 

There is so much wrong with your post that one might believe you have been on a deserted island for the last two years.

 

As for Covid being 'nothing more, nothing less' than any other influenza outbreak....in the last 20 years, the US lost 600,000 from influenza. In two years, the US lost 1 million----and that with all of the mitigation measures. Seems Covid is rather more serious.

 

Next, the mitigation measures were necessary because in almost every country the healthcare system was being overrun by the infected. Most measures were aimed at minimizing the rate of infection so as not to put too much pressure on the system.

 

If you asked any healthcare worker, they would tell you that the last two years were infinitely more intense than anything they had ever experienced in ANY flu season....and most of them lost a colleague or two or three, which rarely happened during any normal flu season.

 

Though you didn't mention it, there are often internet 'experts' pooh poohing the use of masks. Well, those who are 'certain' that surgical masks are useless might want to visit a hospital operating theater....all of those doctors and nurses seem to hold 'silly beliefs' that masks have some sort of value. Masks don't block everything, but they are much better than nothing.

 

Finally, there is no law of physics or biochemistry that says viruses that mutate will always mutate into less severe forms. This is false. There is a slight tendency for non-lethal mutations to survive because viruses need a host and a dead host is useless to them, but a particularly virulent mutation is still possible and if it spread quickly in a globalized world, tens or hundreds of millions could be killed, such as in 1918-1919.

 

 

[Karma80]

5 minutes ago, Walker88 said:

As for Covid being 'nothing more, nothing less' than any other influenza outbreak....in the last 20 years, the US lost 600,000 from influenza. In two years, the US lost 1 million----and that with all of the mitigation measures. Seems Covid is rather more serious.

I do agree with you. Covid is serious and should be respected as such. As much as I am exhausted from it, we are not done yet and mutations will come. It is yet to work it's way through a billion Chinese people who are poorly protected.

 

I do also firmly believe that I need to take responsibility for my own health risk outcome, I will wear a mask regardless of mandates, I will wash my hands, I will not lick doorhandles or lick the sweaty chest of a bar girl, I will get booster vaccines and I won't be partying like it's 1999 on Kao San Rd. 

 

At this point, education is the real reponse we need, as well as push back on it just being a cold and no worse than the flu, so well said. There will always be people who never accept that a risk is present. Look to the story of HIV. But, we should learn to live with it and that will require some adaptation whether we like it or not.

[ThailandRyan]

3 hours ago, Jimbo2014 said:

I feel like this article is from 3 months ago.  The rest of the world has realised this and moved on now.

They may have moved on but the numbers are piling up once again and the deaths are growing.  Learning to live with it is what we need, yet to many arrogant folks think it is a sham and conspiracy to deprive them of their rights and keep on acting irresponsible.

[Kwaibill]

One thing to note is that the less intelligent and/or informed parties are to some degree self limiting. Darwin was so correct.

The sad thing is that they take a certain percentage of the blameless with them.????

[Kwaibill]

Question; what is the status in Thailand for getting a fourth round of vaccination per current reccomendations for high risk individuals?

[rabang]

6 hours ago, Jimbo2014 said:

I feel like this article is from 3 months ago.  The rest of the world has realised this and moved on now.

Yes, I had to check the date as it seemed like from a yesteryear. Then again these stories reveal the local attitudes and I understand better the remaining concern I encounter at this site.

Edited March 18, 2022 by rabang

[rabang]

2 hours ago, Karma80 said:

I do agree with you. Covid is serious and should be respected as such. As much as I am exhausted from it, we are not done yet and mutations will come. It is yet to work it's way through a billion Chinese people who are poorly protected.

 

I do also firmly believe that I need to take responsibility for my own health risk outcome, I will wear a mask regardless of mandates, I will wash my hands, I will not lick doorhandles or lick the sweaty chest of a bar girl, I will get booster vaccines and I won't be partying like it's 1999 on Kao San Rd. 

 

At this point, education is the real reponse we need, as well as push back on it just being a cold and no worse than the flu, so well said. There will always be people who never accept that a risk is present. Look to the story of HIV. But, we should learn to live with it and that will require some adaptation whether we like it or not.

Omicron for most vaccinated people is just a flu, or not even that. The hospitalization statistics etc. are useless if the contain huge amounts of incidental cases with omicron going through populations at breakneck speed.

[Alotoftravel]

Are there any updates where we can find out  how China is doing with the zero covid policy (lockdown)? 

[Stargeezr]

I seen a news story where many children and teens are getting a long COVID from the omicron variant.

  Omicron may not be a killer as much as Delta or the other 2 originals, but there is still lots of unvaccinated

people in the world who will likely be sick from one of the COVID strains.  For some of us, with our 3 jabs the

COVID will likely just feel like a bad flu, hopefully, for the unvaccinated, well likely worse. I feel very fortunate

that I was able to get my 3 jabs of pfizer for free. My Thai family were not so lucky.

[Jimbo2014]

On 3/18/2022 at 6:39 PM, ThailandRyan said:

They may have moved on but the numbers are piling up once again and the deaths are growing.  Learning to live with it is what we need, yet to many arrogant folks think it is a sham and conspiracy to deprive them of their rights and keep on acting irresponsible.

Im not in that camp.  But I am in the realist camp.  Look at the latest data from around the world and its evident that Covid - as now Omicron - has fallen way down on the mortality scale. Well below other preventable diseases including heart disease, diabetes, road accidents, Malaria (in the case of most African countries).  Anecdotally, I know more friends who have Omicron than not and all describe it as ranging from a mild cold to a flue.  Average sick time is around 5 days with Omicron.  There has to be a point at which we get on with life.

[Jingthing]

On 3/18/2022 at 3:42 PM, zzaa09 said:

What we still haven't realized is that with every successive mutated variant, the bug is less symptomatic and severe [vaccinated or not]. Could of called this with the original strain, as it was nasty and fatal as given influenza outbreak - nothing more, nothing less. 

 

Not necessarily.