And for those who don't like the WHO:

Calls for return of Covid controls after UK death toll passes 200,000

‘Damning milestone’ means we need to see better sick pay and return of mask-wearing, doctors and bereaved families say

 

Doctors and people bereaved by Covid have described the 200,000th death from the virus in the UK as a “tragic milestone” and called for the return of infection control measures, including mask wearing and better sick pay amid concern about rising cases and new variants.

 

Prof Philip Banfield, council chair of the British Medical Association, said: “This terrible loss of life must serve as an important reminder that Covid-19 has not gone away and remains a serious threat to public health.”

...

With hospital admissions from Covid tripling in the UK since the end of May, Jo Goodman, a cofounder of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign, which represents more than 6,500 families, said: “Two hundred thousand deaths is a tragedy and yet another damning milestone of the government’s handling of the pandemic.

 

(more)

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/13/calls-for-more-covid-control-measures-after-uk-death-toll-passes-200000

 

And one indicator from the U.S.:

L.A. County coronavirus deaths rising fast as ultra-contagious BA.5 fuels infection wave

The number of weekly COVID-19 deaths reported in Los Angeles County has doubled over the last month — the first significant increase in fatalities since the winter surge.

 

Over the last week, the nation’s most populous county tallied roughly 100 COVID-19 deaths, the highest total in three months. A month ago, the county was reporting about 50 deaths a week.

...

“There’s a lot of misinformation circulating about COVID right now, including that, at this point, it only causes mild illness,” said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. “Unfortunately, this isn’t true.”

 

(more)

 

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-07-13/l-a-county-covid-19-deaths-hospitalizations-double-in-one-month

 

AND

 

With COVID Surging, Los Angeles May Soon Require Masks

The nation's most populous county is facing a return to a broad indoor mask mandate as new omicron variants are again driving hospital admissions and deaths higher

 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nick Barragan is used to wearing a mask because his job in the Hollywood film industry has long required it. So he won't be fazed if the county that's home to Tinseltown soon becomes the first major population center this summer to reinstate rules requiring face coverings indoors because of another spike in coronavirus cases.

 

“I feel fine about it because I’ve worn one pretty much constantly for the last few years. It’s become a habit,” said Barragan, masked up while out running errands Wednesday.

 

Los Angeles is the most populous county, home to 10 million residents. It faces a return to a broad indoor mask mandate on July 29 if current trends in hospital admissions continue, county health Director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday.

 

(more)

 

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-07-14/masks-could-return-to-los-angeles-as-covid-surges-nationwide

 

Edited July 15, 20223 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

39 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

6,382,620 deaths so far.

 

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

 

You can use this site if you have anymore confusion over the seriousness of the pandemic. 

Since the vaccination roll out? Read, comprehend, reply

15 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

It's still out there and making people sick and killing some... regardless of some posters here who want to stick their heads in the sand and ignore reality:

 

WHO Chief Warns of Rising Infections, Deaths From New Covid Wave

 

The World Health Organization urged governments and health care systems to take steps to curb Covid-19 transmission as a fresh wave of infections moves across Europe and the US.

 

Sub-variants of the omicron strain are lifting case numbers and leading to further fatalities, Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a briefing in Geneva on Tuesday. Tedros, as the head of the WHO is known, recommended the revival of protocols like mask-wearing to stop the spread.

 

“New waves of the virus demonstrate that Covid-19 is nowhere near over,” Tedros said, adding that he is “concerned about a rising trend of deaths.”

 

(more)

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-12/who-chief-warns-of-rising-infections-deaths-from-new-covid-wave

 

Don't think anyone is sticking their heads in the sand if you want to continue getting a booster every few months go right ahead. I am of the opinion if I need one every few months it can't be to effective. I've had 3 that's where I draw the line. 

7 minutes ago, starky said:

Don't think anyone is sticking their heads in the sand if you want to continue getting a booster every few months go right ahead. I am of the opinion if I need one every few months it can't be to effective. I've had 3 that's where I draw the line. 

 

The 2nd gen COVID vaccines due hopefully toward the end of the year are supposed to have a longer duration of protection, in addition to being more effective against the current/newer COVID variants.

 

You eat and drink pretty much every day, right, because that's what your body needs. You don't "draw the line" at eating after 3 meals.   Well, right now, to be best protected against COVID, your body needs a booster shot every 4 months or so.... until the 2nd generation vaccines arrive.

 

And from here on our own forum:

Fresh COVID wave sweeps Asia; New Zealand warns of pressure on hospitals

 

WELLINGTON/TOKYO, July 14 (Reuters) - A new wave of coronavirus infections is rapidly spreading through Asia, prompting warnings for residents from New Zealand to Japan to take precautions to slow the outbreak and help prevent healthcare systems from being overwhelmed.

 

The renewed surge in cases, mostly of the BA.4/5 Omicron variants, provides a further challenge for authorities grappling with the economic fallout of earlier waves of the pandemic while trying to avoid extending or reintroducing unpopular restrictions.

 

The New Zealand government on Thursday announced free masks and rapid antigen tests as it tries to relieve pressure on the country's health system, which is dealing with an influx of both COVID and influenza patients during the southern hemisphere winter.

 

(more)

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1265963-fresh-covid-wave-sweeps-asia-new-zealand-warns-of-pressure-on-hospitals/

 

Edited July 15, 20223 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

1 hour ago, starky said:

Since the vaccination roll out? Read, comprehend, reply

According to Our World in Data, the world has had about 6.36 million "official" COVID deaths, which are widely considered a considerable undercount to reality, since the start of the pandemic, broken out as follows:

 

2020 from late January on had about 1.88 million COVID deaths

 

COVID vaccines first became available to some areas in late 2020

 

2021 had about 3.56 million COVID deaths

 

2022 thru July 13 has had about 920,000 COVID deaths

 

Source:

 

In contrast, some recent research projected that the rollout of COVID vaccines worldwide just during 2021 only saved an estimated 14 - 20 million lives who otherwise would have died from COVID:

 

COVID-19 vaccines saved nearly 20 million lives in a year, study says

Nearly 20 million lives were saved by COVID-19 vaccines during their first year, but even more deaths could have been prevented if international targets for the shots had been reached, researchers reported Thursday.

...

The researchers used data from 185 countries to estimate that vaccines prevented 4.2 million COVID-19 deaths in India, 1.9 million in the United States, 1 million in Brazil, 631,000 in France and 507,000 in the United Kingdom.
 ...

The main finding — 19.8 million COVID-19 deaths were prevented — is based on estimates of how many more deaths than usual occurred during the time period. Using only reported COVID-19 deaths, the same model yielded 14.4 million deaths averted by vaccines.

 

(more)

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-vaccine-saved-nearly-20-million-lives-in-a-year-study-says/

 

Edited July 15, 20223 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

48 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The 2nd gen COVID vaccines due hopefully toward the end of the year are supposed to have a longer duration of protection, in addition to being more effective against the current/newer COVID variants.

 

You eat and drink pretty much every day, right, because that's what your body needs. You don't "draw the line" at eating after 3 meals.   Well, right now, to be best protected against COVID, your body needs a booster shot every 4 months or so.... until the 2nd generation vaccines arrive.

 

Horses for courses mate. Never had a flu vaccine that also kills millions did the right thing had my 2 then had to have my booster due to my profession. 

  Im not a covid denier nor anti vaccine but I am pro choice in regards to what I put in my body and having a vaccine every 4 months seems ridiculous to me. I might be wrong you may think me an idiot but it should be my choice.

14 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

According to Our World in Data, the world has had about 6.36 million "official" COVID deaths, which are widely considered a considerable undercount to reality, since the start of the pandemic, broken out as follows:

 

2020 from late January on had about 1.88 million COVID deaths

 

COVID vaccines first became available to some areas in late 2020

 

2021 had about 3.56 million COVID deaths

 

2022 thru July 13 has had about 920,000 COVID deaths

 

Source:

 

In contrast, some recent research projected that the rollout of COVID vaccines worldwide just during 2021 only saved an estimated 14 - 20 million lives who otherwise would have died from COVID:

 

COVID-19 vaccines saved nearly 20 million lives in a year, study says

Nearly 20 million lives were saved by COVID-19 vaccines during their first year, but even more deaths could have been prevented if international targets for the shots had been reached, researchers reported Thursday.

...

The researchers used data from 185 countries to estimate that vaccines prevented 4.2 million COVID-19 deaths in India, 1.9 million in the United States, 1 million in Brazil, 631,000 in France and 507,000 in the United Kingdom.
 ...

The main finding — 19.8 million COVID-19 deaths were prevented — is based on estimates of how many more deaths than usual occurred during the time period. Using only reported COVID-19 deaths, the same model yielded 14.4 million deaths averted by vaccines.

 

(more)

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-vaccine-saved-nearly-20-million-lives-in-a-year-study-says/

 

Yep agrees with what I said the post I quoted seemed to be alluding to millions still dying from covid. I think vaccines saved plenty and those who are vulnerable or at risk may need to keep jabbing. Me ? I'll let my bodies immune system have a crack. This is Thailand so up to me, right? I'm sick of people beating me over the head with what they perceive I should or should not do. Covid has truly magnified this. The animosity and venom directed towards people, particularly on this forum simply because they don't agree with a persons point of view is often nauseating. It could be many, many years before we have a definitive response as to how "deadly" this particular disease is. HIV killed 40 million still kills well over a million a year, every year for decades I ain't reading about that shizz in the news every day . Why?

Edited July 15, 20223 yr by starky

19 minutes ago, starky said:

Never had a flu vaccine that also kills millions

In most first world countries such as the U.S. that I'm familiar with, COVID deaths have far outnumbered flu deaths... not even a close comparison. The typical annual flu deaths number for the U.S. is in the tens of thousands, not the hundreds of thousands as with COVID.

 

 

"COVID-19, listed as the underlying cause in 415,399 deaths during 2021, ranked as the third leading underlying cause of death after heart disease (693,021 deaths) and cancer (604,553 deaths) (Figure 2).

...

Influenza and pneumonia, which was the ninth leading cause of death in 2020 (53,544 deaths), dropped out of the 10 leading causes in 2021 (41,835 deaths)."

 

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7117e1.htm

 

 

Edited July 15, 20223 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

In most first world countries such as the U.S. that I'm familiar with, COVID deaths have far outnumbered flu deaths... not even a close comparison. The typical annual flu deaths number for the U.S. is in the tens of thousands, not the hundreds of thousands as with COVID.

 

 

"COVID-19, listed as the underlying cause in 415,399 deaths during 2021, ranked as the third leading underlying cause of death after heart disease (693,021 deaths) and cancer (604,553 deaths) (Figure 2).

...

Influenza and pneumonia, which was the ninth leading cause of death in 2020 (53,544 deaths), dropped out of the 10 leading causes in 2021 (41,835 deaths).

 

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7117e1.htm?s_cid=mm7117e1_e&ACSTrackingID=USCDC_921-DM80268&ACSTrackingLabel=MMWR Early Release - Vol. 71%2C April 22%2C 2022&deliveryName=USCDC_921-DM80268#F1_down

 

 

Cherry picking data? You want  to use global figures for covid and US statistics for flu? Lol. More importantly I just don't agree with you. Get over it. As I said HIV killed over 40 million still killing a million a year for decades why aren't you talking about that every day?

Edited July 15, 20223 yr by starky

2 minutes ago, starky said:

Cherry picking data? I just don't agree with you. Get over it. As I said HIV killed over 70 million still killing a million a year for decades why aren't you talking about that every day?

 

HIV is nowhere in the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. for 2021 as shown in the CDC chart above. So presumably its current number is even lower than those various causes listed as the top  10.

 

 

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

HIV is nowhere in the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. for 2021 as shown in the CDC chart above. So presumably its current number is even lower than those various causes listed as the top  10.

 

 

Lol back to the US again. So stop quoting global covid deaths. 

You like global figures so I'm giving them to you. Or you want to change the debate now it doesn't suit your narrative? 

 Actually once covid hits 40 odd million deaths get back to me and we can compare apples and apples.

Edited July 15, 20223 yr by starky

17 minutes ago, starky said:

Lol back to the US again. So stop quoting global covid deaths. 

 

"680 000 [480 000−1.0 million] people died of HIV-related illnesses worldwide in 2020."

 

https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/number-of-deaths-due-to-hiv-aids

 

Covid worldwide killed more than 1.88 million in 2020 (more than double the number from HIV) and another 3.56 million in 2021 (five times the number from HIV).

 

AND

 

From the WHO for 2019 (apparently it's most recent report on the subject):

 

"Other diseases which were among the top 10 causes of death in 2000 are no longer on the list. HIV/AIDS is one of them. Deaths from HIV/AIDS have fallen by 51% during the last 20 years, moving from the world’s 8th leading cause of death in 2000 to the 19th in 2019."

 

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death

 

 

Never let facts get in the way of a good off topic diversion/deflection.

 

Edited July 15, 20223 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

18 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

"680 000 [480 000−1.0 million] people died of HIV-related illnesses worldwide in 2020."

 

https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/number-of-deaths-due-to-hiv-aids

 

Covid worldwide killed more than 1.88 million in 2020 and another 3.56 million in 2021.

 

Never let facts get in the way of a good off topic diversion/deflection.

 

Yeah a million people every year for decades thats what I said glad you agree with me. Why aren't we talking about that? 40 million is that what you consider a "deflection" 

 Boring me now, enjoy your life. Still don't agree with you. I could talk about especially in the US how covid was pretty much wiping out all the old, morbidly obese, multi co-morbidity people that were just a hair away from death anyway but what would be the point? Here's one for you I don't give a tinkers how many die from covid. How's that?

 I fear nothing especially death on a long enough time line we all going there and if covid is how I go, so be it. Millions dying every year mate accept it. 

Edited July 15, 20223 yr by starky

Same dynamic for Thailand -- at home and unreported testing masks the true numbers of infections occurring

Why the Omicron offshoot BA.5 is a big deal

...

A 'full-on' wave

The result is that we're getting sick in droves. As Americans have switched to more rapid at-home tests, official case counts -- currently hovering around 110,000 new infections a day -- reflect just a fraction of the true disease burden.

 

"We estimate that for every reported case there are 7 unreported," Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, wrote in an email.

...

Daily hospitalizations are also climbing in the United States. The fraction of patients needing intensive care is up by about 23% over the past two weeks."

 

(more)

 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/14/health/omicron-ba-5-variant-immunity-severity/index.html

 

 

11 hours ago, ezzra said:

Not looming, already here, but many prefer to ignore it, in Australia there are hundreds dying every week with 4,500 hospitalised so much so that hospitals are cancelling elective surgeries while many still, refusing to get vaccinated and most don't wear masks at all...

Untrue, average seven death toll from Covid in Australia is currenty averaging approx 45 per week - total deaths from Covid in Australia are currently 10,582.

 

https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/case-numbers-and-statistics

I can't wait.  Let go into full lock downs and totally dismantle the economy this time.  Let's just wipe it all out by mandate.  

Honestly.  at my age?  I'm fine with it.  I have my house, my family, I don't need a lot more.  I don't need constant distractions like going on tours or partying or the like.  

I don't care.  Lock us all down forever.  My wife and I are good. 
We will garden, read books, and enjoy like minded friends.  
And?  That's it in a nutshell.  Sorry for the rest ya'll who need something more to make your life's have meaning - to be - exciting and livable.  I feel sorry for ya'll.  Actually we all need oh so little to be happy.  

Best of luck.

An off-topic trolling post has been removed.

 

 

USA

L.A. County inches closer to mask mandate: 'We have a ton of transmission right now'

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/l-a-county-inches-closer-to-mask-mandate-we-have-a-ton-of-transmission-right-now/ar-AAZAMWT?cvid=ece5b637efbb4ac69b0b75b40780436b

12 hours ago, JimTripper said:

So you were lucky.

Most likely typical of the experience of most who get it.

On 7/15/2022 at 3:43 AM, webfact said:

A PULMONARY disease expert warned in a Facebook post yesterday (July 14) that Omicron subvariant BA.5 is now spreading widely in the country with the increase in the number of pneumonia patients indicating that another big wave is looming

Judging by the number of people around my area who are infected one would assume the wave has arrived.

21 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Do you think that in 1919 people counted someone who died of a heart attack but also tested positive for the flu, while showing no symptoms, as having died from said flu?

Like you, I don't know...... 

Ok Covid : numbers tell everything if you should be scared or not 

We have roughly 8 billion people on the planet, with an average lifespan of 75 makes for a total of 106 Million deaths per year or almost 300.000 per day. However in the last two years with covid, the world population has grown with about 120 million (!)

 

Also in a country like Thailand the total number of deaths each day due to a much larger virus called "Motorbikes" is higher than the death toll of people dying with covid. I say "with" instead of "from" because that is how we count apparently. 

 

The damage to the economy, the lost years in life from people who didn't get other medical treatment in time, the suicides, the reduced lifespan of people in major financial troubles is all not because of covid but because of our politicians taking the wrong decisions. You could argue that the damage done due to our policies could be higher than the damage done due to the virus.

 

Is covid fun ? No, is covid a threat to humanity, No not at all. 

 

 

Edited July 16, 20223 yr by WhatsNext
Spelllllingerrurs

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Judging by the number of people around my area who are infected one would assume the wave has arrived.

Agreed. I had it 2 weeks ago. My wife and 5 staff also.

Last week 4 friends.

Everybody ok...not serious and no lasting affects apart from a cough.

Another off-topic trolling post has been removed.

 

The latest COVID-19 subvariant, BA.5, is the most highly transmissible to date, Jha said. It’s also “immune-evasive,” leading to high levels of reinfection and breakthrough infections. 

Vaccines are still effective at staving off severe illness, he added, but they’re not as protective against BA.5 compared to other iterations of the virus.

“If you got your booster, let’s say, last November or December, you don’t have as much protection against this virus as you’d like.”

Jha added that it’s “absolutely critical” for those over 50 years of age who have not received a shot this year to get one as soon as possible.

 

https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/3563141-white-house-covid-19-coordinator-says-virus-still-evolving-rapidly-from-transcript/

On 7/16/2022 at 8:08 AM, WhatsNext said:

Is covid fun ? No, is covid a threat to humanity, No not at all. 

Unless you were one of the six million it managed to kill I suppose!

Well it's highly likely there will be a surge as it's surged elsewhere.

Meanwhile the brainless Muppets keep increasing the number of bank/government holidays thereby encouraging people to socially gather.

Instead of cancelling them and helping prevent major outbreaks, they then start blaming the citizens for their ridiculous decisions.

Muppetery at its best.

5 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Unless you were one of the six million it managed to kill I suppose !

6 million with, not from. And how many of those would still be alive now ? In Holland the average age of the COVID deaths was 81...