Are we coming to the end of the pandemic in Thailand?

[Dart12]

Wealth transfer complete.  New big brother draconian trcking measures installed. 
start phase 2

[dallen52]

Are we actually still testing at the same magnitude?

The truth is out there...

[Boomer6969]

We are definitely  seeing the end of Omicron B.2.

[dallen52]

2 hours ago, Spilornis said:

Cases will continue especially in countries where testing levels are reasonable.

On the other hand it seems that the present strains can be handled by health services without the need for the drastic measures we have seen for the last two years.

Definitely time to remove the outdoor mask mandate in Thailand

Looking at the air quality in Thailand I would sleep with a mask on.

Asian countries have terrible air quality, without covid19 threat being around. 

[Walker88]

1 hour ago, Captain Monday said:

How many are asymtomatic? Are any of them ill enough to require hospitalization or intensive treatments? The virus is everywhere, it is never going away, and will come and go seasonally perhaps even taking over from the prevalent flu strains. Keep vaccinating, keep common sense public health measures and do best to protect the most vulnerable. Time for pseudoscientific  theatrics and lockdowns is over. The pandemic ends when governments say so. Appears some of these governments, mostly in East Asia, are reluctant to "let it go". ???????? ????????????????????????

Can't speak for the other poster, but in my anecdote ALL had symptoms and were in bed for days. They only knew it was Covid because they did some at-home ATK tests. Nobody reported their illness to anyone.

 

The good news is none of them died, and perhaps Omicron (which it likely was) is the variant that could bring an end to Covid (though other more virulent strains are always possible).

[Tonypandy]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

This is not a priority.... if people feel better wearing masks I say let them. Not really much of a mandate these days as so many are not bothering. Other restrictive regulations should be rescinded now. 

So let the people decide, if they want to wear then wear, if they don't then they don't. 

[DFPhuket]

Before Covid, no government attempted to report the number of people with colds and flu. The only meaningful statistic was the number of people who were severely ill due to their age or underlying conditions and needed hospitalization or died. 

 

Somehow we have to move away from the specious reporting of Covid positives and focus on hospitalizations - just like we do with other illnesses. 

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Like to see the plunging new cases graph overlayed with a 'real' daily testing graph

You would have to explain how there can be a graph for something that is not recorded.

The falang mentality would prefer to think there is no testing than the reality of unrecorded testing.

My wife's niece tests tests herself every day before going to work.

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, DRD123 said:

Micro plastics deep in your lung and into your bloodstream.....not  a priority to get rid of masks? Have you seen the CDC data., no difference in mask/non masked individuals. New large study yesterday showing markedly higher mortality with those wearing from Israel. Why do people think anything govt's did was the 'right thing." Wait until you read the Pfizer data dump that came out yesterday. My god we are a stupid species.

You need to get out more..... 

I don't believe that nonsense, you are being led by the nose.

[jacko45k]

13 minutes ago, Tonypandy said:

So let the people decide, if they want to wear then wear, if they don't then they don't. 

Yes, we are getting close to that point in Thailand, should not be long.  If I see the local people wearing them, I might well do the same as I move among them. 

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Yes, we are getting close to that point in Thailand, should not be long.  If I see the local people wearing them, I might well do the same as I move among them. 

Me too.

 

Always worthwhile to show respect and to at least appear to be following whatever seems to be the local practice. 

 

Same in any country.

 

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, sandyf said:

You would have to explain how there can be a graph for something that is not recorded.

The falang mentality would prefer to think there is no testing than the reality of unrecorded testing.

My wife's niece tests tests herself every day before going to work.

My Thai son does a rapid test every morning before he drives his 3 kids to school (same school), and he tests his 3 kids also before they leave the house. Son and 2 kids all had 2 inoculations and 1 booster. 3rd kid (6 yo) just had 2nd shot.

 

This might well depend on the location and more. There's been many cases of kids at the same school (and it seems many schools in the area) who have had no inoculations at all, get sick at school, school quickly does rapid test.

 

Regardless of result parents called. 

 

School waits until the end of the day to give all kids a note indication 'school closed 7 days' etc.

 

Son has asked other parents "Do you give your kids a rapid test often?"

Some respond with "yes".

Many respond "I'm too busy".

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Agree although I think individual responsibilty should be pushed i.e. if you are symptomatic wear a mask. This should also be the case with just the common cold. Let me also say that the body temp detectors are nxt to useless. Even Delta did not always present with fever. Omicron even less so. Absolutely everything should be open and should've been for some time.

Of course. But, if you are healthy, masks should no longer be expected, required or used. It keeps the people in a constant state of fear and panic and makes life uncomfortable. Not needed! Man up. Defy stupidity. 

[jacko45k]

5 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Of course. But, if you are healthy, masks should no longer be expected, required or used. It keeps the people in a constant state of fear and panic and makes life uncomfortable. Not needed! Man up. Defy stupidity. 

Are you saying the sight of people in masks makes you think they are in a state of fear and  panic? Such nonsense, I feel no such association, any more than seeing people wearing seat belts or crash helmets does. You are trolling.....

[spidermike007]

24 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Are you saying the sight of people in masks makes you think they are in a state of fear and  panic? Such nonsense, I feel no such association, any more than seeing people wearing seat belts or crash helmets does. You are trolling.....

Not at all. What I am really saying is the insistence on masks at this point, does not serve much of a purpose. Certainly not cloth masks. And using them outdoors is downright silly, and defies science. 

[KannikaP]

5 hours ago, Spilornis said:

Cases will continue especially in countries where testing levels are reasonable.

On the other hand it seems that the present strains can be handled by health services without the need for the drastic measures we have seen for the last two years.

Definitely time to remove the outdoor mask mandate in Thailand

Good idea to still wear a mask if close to other people for any length of time.

[KannikaP]

45 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Of course. But, if you are healthy, masks should no longer be expected, required or used. It keeps the people in a constant state of fear and panic and makes life uncomfortable. Not needed! Man up. Defy stupidity. 

If you are healthy and do not wear a mask, it is quite possible that you will no longer stay healthy by catching the dreaded C from an un-healthy person who is not wearing a mask.

[paulikens]

11 hours ago, jacko45k said:

This is not a priority.... if people feel better wearing masks I say let them. Not really much of a mandate these days as so many are not bothering. Other restrictive regulations should be rescinded now. 

@jacko45k if people feel better wearing masks I say let them....... That's the problem tho, its not your own choice at the moment, for those who don't want to wear them, they should be allowed to not wear them.   

[NoshowJones]

"Common sense seems to be taking over as governments not just in SE Asia, but also around the globe are allowing travellers in too.".

No common sense in the Banana Republic of Thailand, still a bit of hassle to enter, Thailand Pass, just a load of nonsense, then there is the insurance scams, only there to fill certain pockets, then again what do you expect when you have soldiers running the country instead of elected politicians?

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Well at the start of the pandemic football matches in Italy were very much a source of rampant infections... but now we have vaccinated people and a less serious strain.... Omicron did the job for us. After avoiding handshakes for 2 weeks the winner of the world snooker championship in the UK grabbed onto his defeated opponent like a long lost lover, so they think it is done with there...and stats appear to support that. 

When daily deaths roll off to low numbers here, it is done with!

So why do we still have to wear masks? Brown envelopes passing from the people who make the masks to the soldiers maybe?

Then there is the protesters. No wonder the soldiers don't want to open the country properly.

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Not at all. What I am really saying is the insistence on masks at this point, does not serve much of a purpose. Certainly not cloth masks. And using them outdoors is downright silly, and defies science. 

OK.. excuse the misinterpretation.

[jacko45k]

57 minutes ago, paulikens said:

@jacko45k if people feel better wearing masks I say let them....... That's the problem tho, its not your own choice at the moment, for those who don't want to wear them, they should be allowed to not wear them.   

Or they could choose not to go to places that require them, nor places that obligate them. Same as no smoking regulations.

[KanchanaburiGuy]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Not at all. What I am really saying is the insistence on masks at this point, does not serve much of a purpose. Certainly not cloth masks. And using them outdoors is downright silly, and defies science. 

A lot of it is social. 

 

If I'm walking down the main road not wearing a mask, then to a lot of people who see me, I'll be the "dirty, selfish, doesn't-care-about-Thai-people's-health" farang. It wont be ME walking down that road, it'll be that guy!

 

Thus, there are social ramifications connected with all this---for me AND my wife.

 

Does that mean I think the mask in that situation does anything Covid-19-wise? Heck no! I've been scoffing about outside mask wearing being silly almost since the beginning: "Folks! It's not like pollen, floating on the air! Viruses don't work that way! Walking down a road or in a park---without a mask---is perfectly safe; for YOU, for ME, for EVERYONE!" 

 

But HEALTH risks versus SOCIAL risks? Well, those are two very different things! ????????????

 

So, what's my compromise solution?

 

When I'm walking down the road and no one is near, I'll wear my mask over my mouth, but not my nose. To passers-by, it looks about right, but it still allows me free breathing.

 

But as soon as people come close or we are close to passing each other, I pull the mask up over my nose. Then it's only a "social distancing" thing.

 

At night, when I'm walking and no one can really see me, I'll walk with the mask down on my chin, or below. But if I'm approaching anyone or anyone is approaching me, up it comes!

 

Honestly............ as much as I'd rather not wear a mask............ I'd rather not become a social pariah, even more!

 

But all this caterwauling about masks?

 

I dunno......... I don't seem to find it burdensome to pull on my underwear every morning, and wear them all day. Nor do I find it burdensome to pull down the elastic to pee, nor take them all the way off for...........  er.......... other things. 

 

And honestly, I can't see that mask-wearing is any worse that that! Nor does combining mask-wearing with wearing underwear........ suddenly make the whole situation intolerable!

 

I dunno, maybe it's just my nature to be more cactus than delicate flower. But that's just me!

 

*hee hee*

 

Cheers!

 

[EVENKEEL]

Time for school kids to loose the mask.

[Neeranam]

When will foreigners stop wanting to touch knuckles with me? They should know no contact is better, just wai <deleted>.

[EVENKEEL]

18 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

When will foreigners stop wanting to touch knuckles with me? They should know no contact is better, just wai <deleted>.

Really?? Really??

[spidermike007]

4 hours ago, KannikaP said:

If you are healthy and do not wear a mask, it is quite possible that you will no longer stay healthy by catching the dreaded C from an un-healthy person who is not wearing a mask.

First of all, cloth masks are very limited, in their ability to deny the spread of the virus, and prevent you from catching it. The greatest benefit is simply making you conscious of touching your nose or mouth. The cloth does very little to limit transmission.

 

Second, the vast majority who get really sick from covid, are either unhealthy, or have underlying conditions. 

[freedomnow]

8 hours ago, DRD123 said:

Wait until you read the Pfizer data dump that came out yesterday.

??

[paulikens]

9 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Or they could choose not to go to places that require them, nor places that obligate them. Same as no smoking regulations.

@jacko45k  what the hell are you talking about!! they are required outside and in supermarkets.  do you know the actual mask mandate.  or are you not even here in thailand???

[The Hammer2021]

11 hours ago, Rockhound said:

"The anticipated major spike after the Songkran migration has also not materialised, which is a relief for the medical experts and the government."    Governments around the world listened to the wrong "experts"...

But it's a blow for the naysayers and depressed Thai bashers on a certain forum!