Health Ministry: 5-Day Quarantine Realistic

[webfact]

 

BANGKOK, Aug 22 (TNA) – The Ministry of Public Health has confirmed that five-day quarantine for COVID-19 cases is suitable for the present situation of the disease and it will not pose a higher risk of transmission compared with seven-day quarantine. and longer one.

Dr Rungruang Kitphati, spokesman of the ministry, said the five-day quarantine plus another five days of condition observation for those who were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms were based on the present situation of COVID-19 and on academic knowledge.

 

The 5+5 scheme received support from relevant authorities in and outside the Ministry of Public Health and suited the normal life of people, he said.

 

Full story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-1002337

 

-- © Copyright Thai News Agency 2022-08-22

 

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[smedly]

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

The Ministry of Public Health has confirmed that five-day quarantine for COVID-19 cases

the world has moved on why haven't you

[alekth85]

29 minutes ago, smedly said:

the world has moved on why haven't you

It looks like, with exception of Vietnam, the whole Asia is lagging behind the rest of the civilized world severely.

Likely will take 10 years for this place to continue with their lives.

 

[realfunster]

Sorry to break it to the good doctor but as in so many things in this country, with its archaic, fearful and somewhat incompetent bureaucratic class, much of the Private Sector has already moved on and is essentially ignoring the government guidance at the moment.

 

Many companies are now running on a weekly or symptom based ATK testing regimen.

Test positive, go home and then a negative test required to return to work site.

On the basis that for many (not all..) symptoms are quite mild and might even go unnoticed, the return to work can be within a couple of days. I tested negative within 2 days and was back to work on day 3, having suffered a minor sniffle for a couple of days before testing positive.

Some colleagues have also tested positive and returned within a maximum of 5 days and the vast majority are able to work normally during quarantine, as symptoms have been mild.

 

Without being reckless, I think the hard reality for many companies and employees is that further disruption to business/lives after the last 2.5 years and with Omicron typically being mild, is not seen as viable...of course, a concern that doesn't impact those working in the more relaxed and state funded Public Sector.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, alekth85 said:

It looks like, with exception of Vietnam, the whole Asia is lagging behind the rest of the civilized world severely.

 

The Thai policy being described here is actually very similar to the current, recently relaxed CDC policy in the U.S., which somewhat counts as being part of the rest of the civilized world.

 

"If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home. You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days.

 

• Wear a high-quality mask if you must be around others at home and in public.
• Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask."

and

 

If you had no symptoms

You may end isolation after day 5.

 

and

 

"If you develop symptoms within 10 days of when you were tested, the clock restarts at day 0 on the day of symptom onset."

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html

 

Edited August 22, 2022 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The US CDC also has a companion advisory that those who have tested positive for COVID should wear a face mask for at least 10 days thereafter, or until they have TWO negative antigen tests at least 48 hours apart.

 

"Continue taking antigen tests at least 48 hours apart until you have two sequential negative results. This may mean you need to continue wearing a mask and testing beyond day 10.

 

"^[1] As noted in the Food and Drug Administration labeling for authorized over-the-counter antigen tests, negative test results do not rule out SARS-CoV-2 infection and should not be used as the sole basis for treatment or patient management decisions, including infection control decisions."

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html

 

Edited August 22, 2022 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

40 minutes ago, realfunster said:

On the basis that for many (not all..) symptoms are quite mild and might even go unnoticed, the return to work can be within a couple of days. I tested negative within 2 days and was back to work on day 3, having suffered a minor sniffle for a couple of days before testing positive.

 

That kind of behavior goes against public health advice... Because while you may be feeling better or fine, you still can be contagious and spread COVID to others around you certainly during that initial 5 day period.

 

Edited August 22, 2022 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Padthaigoong]

2 hours ago, alekth85 said:

It looks like, with exception of Vietnam, the whole Asia is lagging behind the rest of the civilized world severely.

Likely will take 10 years for this place to continue with their lives.

 

Malaysia recently dropped all their testing and entry requirements too.

[zzaa09]

4 hours ago, alekth85 said:

It looks like, with exception of Vietnam, the whole Asia is lagging behind the rest of the civilized world severely.

Likely will take 10 years for this place to continue with their lives.

 

Civilised world. 

Whatever that is.

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

That kind of behavior goes against public health advice... Because while you may be feeling better or fine, you still can be contagious and spread COVID to others around you certainly during that initial 5 day period.

 

It remains 'advice' - it's not law so essentially it's meaningless.

 

Who actually goes to any government for 'advice'?

[Dogmatix]

There is a lot of COVID about and Bangkok COVID wards are full with about 24 hour or more wait lists for a room. It doesn't always go away in 5 days.  I have it and am still positive with slight symtoms after 12 days.  However, the worst I had was a day with low grade fever at the beginning. Other than that is feels like a mild could. I am fully vaccinated and had a Moderna shot 3 weeks before becoming infected. I also took a course of Paxlovid which may account for the prolonged symptoms, as Paxlovid can cause a rebound effect like Joe Biden got but hopefully keeps symptoms mild.

 

Due the hospital situation, some miitigation measures are necessary.  Letting people go about their business after testing negative seems fine and anyone in close contact with someone positve should exercercise caution and wear masks in my opinion.  My family got COVID before me and I moved out until they were negative and avoided uncessary contact with others but didn't isolate, as I had to buy food anyway.  I didn't get it then but did get it later from another source.   

 

But right now it is largely up to individuals to decide and government has very little influence.  The only cases that are reported are the ones that need hospital treatment or Thais who get a motorcyclists to take their ID card to a public health clinic to get free supplies of paracetamol, ineffective cold pills that don't contain pseudoephedrine and the official MoPH "anti viral" placebos Favipiravir and Green Chiretta herbal pills for which there is no evidence of efficacy against COVID at all but nice little earners for some and makes people happy that the governemnt gave them a placebo.  People who need to earn a living and have no sick pay are obviously going about there business as soon as they feel well enough.  This must include all self employed including market vendors, taxi drivers, prositutes etc.

 

 

 

[spidermike007]

 Most of the world has moved on. I was recently in Los Angeles. Went to a Dodgers game. Of 45,000 or so in attendance, I counted 5 people who were wearing masks. Same with a concert at the Hollywood bowl. Maybe 5 masks. Please. Let's move on. 

 

 

20220814_192857.heic 20220809_211929.heic

[Bday Prang]

2 hours ago, realfunster said:

Sorry to break it to the good doctor but as in so many things in this country, with its archaic, fearful and somewhat incompetent bureaucratic class, much of the Private Sector has already moved on and is essentially ignoring the government guidance at the moment.

 

Many companies are now running on a weekly or symptom based ATK testing regimen.

Test positive, go home and then a negative test required to return to work site.

On the basis that for many (not all..) symptoms are quite mild and might even go unnoticed, the return to work can be within a couple of days. I tested negative within 2 days and was back to work on day 3, having suffered a minor sniffle for a couple of days before testing positive.

Some colleagues have also tested positive and returned within a maximum of 5 days and the vast majority are able to work normally during quarantine, as symptoms have been mild.

 

Without being reckless, I think the hard reality for many companies and employees is that further disruption to business/lives after the last 2.5 years and with Omicron typically being mild, is not seen as viable...of course, a concern that doesn't impact those working in the more relaxed and state funded Public Sector.

 

 

The last sentence being particularly relevant to the Uk where, as for one example,  passport waiting time has been reported to be around 11, months   Staff from this and many other government agencies have , backed, by their unions, basically just refused to return to their workplace, Health and safety (due to covid 19) being the original reason, but now that excuse has ceased to be valid, they are arguing that there is "no real need" for most of them to return,  as the work is online based  therefore they can work more tirelessly and  efficiently From the comfort of their own homes. The aforementioned waiting list being a perfect example of just how efficient they actually are.

I don't think its anything like that here, and I doubt that it would be tolerated, thankfully

The symptoms that the overwhelming majority of people experience would not even be considered a valid excuse to take time off for all but the most "delicate" of people. I'd be very surprised if there aren't a lot of people still taking advantage of covid 19. especially in the public sector, all over the world.

[Dogmatix]

I missed a wedding in New York recently as I couldn't go because I had COVID.  I attended online and only about 3 people out of 150 wore masks. A few days after the wedding at least 40 people who were there came down with COVID, including the bride and groom, their parents and the two photographers. 

 

As far as Thailand is concerned the situation should be decided on the ability of hospitals to cope with severely ill COVID patients. The current situation is that they can't cope with any more, as all the wards are full in Bangkok and in Hua Hin and probably other tourist resorts.  I know because my son was seriously ill with COVID at the end of last month and only got admitted to a private hospital because he had a false negative rapid test at first and kicked him out of the room the next morning when his PCR result test came through. (They told me I would have had to call around other hospitals looking for a room, if he had initially tested positive. Then they were stuck with him and put him and his mother in  a converted broom cupboard with a toilet in the middle of the room for a day until someone checked out of the COVID ward. The COVID nurses were fully stretched and hardly did anything.  His mother had to give him his medice, feed him and take his temperature and he cried from morning till night. The lack of hospital capacity means that unmasked elderly tourists who might get severe disease will not be able to get hospital treatment promptly, if at all, regardless of whether they have medical insurance or not.  Thai friends with hospital connections offered to try to get my son a bed in another hospital when he was in the broom cupboard. Foreign tourists don't have connections here and will be last in the queue.

 

The government is desparate for foreign exchange and doesn't want to admit they are up against capacity constraints in the hospials.  But this may be woth bearing in mind when going about unmasked and saying you're done with COVID and moving on with your life etc.  Fortunately Omicron is a mild disease for most but there are still some severe cases and deaths.  Ask yourself, "Is this my lucky day?" 

[Bday Prang]

 I fully expect long covid to become the most commonly mentioned medical condition,used for the purpose of fraudulent benefit claims. Totally eclipsing "stress" and "back trouble" which I believe are the current favorites. I also expect the majority of these claims to come from public sector employees

I might even have a go myself   I know a few in the uk with either one or both of the above "medical conditions" and they easily fulfil the financial requirements for a retirement extension

[worldexpress]

9 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

 ... the U.S., which somewhat counts as being part of the rest of the civilized world.

 

I'm less sure about that everyday, sadly.

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

Civilised world. 

Whatever that is.

It is the countries with serious gun crime, who execute their criminals etc etc.