COVID surge just a “new wave” which will gradually fade after the New Year

[snoop1130]

 

Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has instructed all state hospitals to provide free vaccinations to members of the public, in the wake of a resurgence in COVID-19 infections, which they describe as a predictable “new wave.”

 

Public Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Opart Karnkawinpong said today (Friday) that the increase in infections will gradually subside after the New Year and most of the cases are not serious and do not require hospitalisation.

 

Additional measures are not necessary at this stage, he said, adding that the number of patients requiring hospital admission has only increased slightly, while the fatality rate averages not more than ten a day, which was anticipated.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/covid-surge-just-a-new-wave-which-will-gradually-fade-after-the-new-year/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-11-25

 

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[Letseng]

The more tourists, the more new variant infections they will get. How are infections supposed to go down after New year with foreign and local tourism travel over Xmas and New Year? Especially, tourists who don't consider it necessary to wear a mask.

[spidermike007]

There is not much of a wave. I have a friend who is a surgical nurse at a major hospital, and she told us they are barely seeing any new cases, and the fatality rate at this time is extremely low, from covid. Much ado, about nothing. 

 

Each new variant is getting weaker and weaker. When are people going to let the panic go? Most of the  brave souls I see outdoors without masks on, are the sensible foreigners. 99% of Thais are still all masked up outdoors. 

[ozimoron]

14 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

There is not much of a wave. I have a friend who is a surgical nurse at a major hospital, and she told us they are barely seeing any new cases, and the fatality rate at this time is extremely low, from covid. Much ado, about nothing. 

 

Each new variant is getting weaker and weaker. When are people going to let the panic go? Most of the  brave souls I see outdoors without masks on, are the sensible foreigners. 99% of Thais are still all masked up outdoors. 

Your 99% figure is observably wrong. It is true that most motorcycle riders are wearing masks these days but that has nothing to do with covid.

 

I have a feeling that many Thai schools require their kids to wear masks in public while in school uniform, including outdoors.

[spidermike007]

14 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

Your 99% figure is observably wrong. It is true that most motorcycle riders are wearing masks these days but that has nothing to do with covid.

I think it depends on the community. I am in Bangkok at the moment, and it appears to be at least 99% of Thais, and I would guess 15% of foreigners, who are masked up outside. In Hua Hin, around 90% of Thais, and 5% of foreigners. 

 

Just returned from the US. 40% of foreigners not wearing masks in the airports. 2% of Asians. Within the US, mask use is down to around 5%, and the numbers continue to fall. 

[ozimoron]

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I think it depends on the community. I am in Bangkok at the moment, and it appears to be at least 99% of Thais, and I would guess 15% of foreigners, who are masked up outside. In Hua Hin, around 90% of Thais, and 5% of foreigners. 

 

Just returned from the US. 40% of foreigners not wearing masks in the airports. 2% of Asians. Within the US, mask use is down to around 5%, and the numbers continue to fall. 

You could be right about Bangkok where the density of people is much higher. So is the pollution. I think masks have found a new role in pollution reduction (diesel fumes) since wearing them became commonplace.

 

My observations are from Pattaya.

[spidermike007]

7 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

You could be right about Bangkok where the density of people is much higher. So is the pollution. I think masks have found a new role in pollution reduction (diesel fumes) since wearing them became commonplace.

 

My observations are from Pattaya.

Well, in Pattaya you have a large expat population. We are far more sensible and far less paranoid, about Covid. So, most of us have stopped wearing masks many moths ago. 

 

And maybe we are having a positive effect on some of the Thais around us. 

[stoner]

14 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

So is the pollution. I think masks have found a new role in pollution reduction (diesel fumes) since wearing them became commonplace.

good thing the mask that almost all thai are wearing won't stop pollution other than that black soot that is shot into your mouth...the cloth mask will stop a little of that.

 

other than that the clear lack of interest in these threads should show the general attitude towards covid. it's a nothing burger now. 

[jacko45k]

Just now, spidermike007 said:

Well, in Pattaya you have a large expat population. We are far more sensible and far less paranoid, about Covid. So, most of us have stopped wearing masks many moths ago. 

 

And maybe we are having a positive effect on some of the Thais around us. 

Not often we hear of the Pattaya Expat crowd being referred to as 'more sensible'. My memory of the remnants during the height of the pandemic and when bars were closed is of them being mostly particularly stupid! God forbid Thais start learning off them, if they need to!

[seedy]

11 hours ago, Letseng said:

 Especially, tourists who don't consider it necessary to wear a mask.

I am no tourist, and I do not wear a mask anyplace.

Been to CNX Ram, Bangkok Hospital CNX, 7-11. Lotus ... I could go on and on.

Everyone can see my smiling face ! 555

[ozimoron]

1 minute ago, stoner said:

good thing the mask that almost all thai are wearing won't stop pollution other than that black soot that is shot into your mouth...the cloth mask will stop a little of that.

 

other than that the clear lack of interest in these threads should show the general attitude towards covid now. it's a nothing burger now. 

True, but that goes to my point that masks have found a new role. Masks do stop black soot. Any face covering does.

[stoner]

16 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

True, but that goes to my point that masks have found a new role. Masks do stop black soot. Any face covering does.

ya because that will make a stick of difference living in bkk with the pm2.5 at levels equal to smoking 2 packs of cigs a day. 

 

keep that facade going though. 

[ozimoron]

Just now, stoner said:

ya because that will make a stick of difference living in bkk with the pm2.5 at levels equal to smoking 2 packs of cigs a day. 

 

keep that facade going though. 

I will, thanks, only because there's no other explanation.

[stoner]

3 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

I will, thanks, only because there's no other explanation.

so great unless you have that n95 mask on you are making 0 difference. glad we agree on that. 

[ozimoron]

1 minute ago, stoner said:

so great unless you have that n95 mask on you are making 0 difference. glad we agree on that. 

No, I said any face covering. You don't need an N95 mask to stop black soot, or most of it.

[stoner]

2 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

You don't need an N95 mask to stop black soot, or most of it.

ok.

[nobodysfriend]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Dr. Opart Karnkawinpong said today (Friday) that the increase in infections will gradually subside after the New Year and most of the cases are not serious and do not require hospitalisation.

Predictions like that are sometimes altered by reality .

Let's hope not .

It seems very possible , regarding the evolution of the virus , that this will happen , but there is no guaranty for that as long as the virus mutates constantly .

[anrcaccount]

1 hour ago, ozimoron said:

Your 99% figure is observably wrong. It is true that most motorcycle riders are wearing masks these days but that has nothing to do with covid.

 

I have a feeling that many Thai schools require their kids to wear masks in public while in school uniform, including outdoors.

It's bad enough that the absurdity of mass mask wearing persists in adults in Thailand (and this is now one of the few places in the world where it does) , but what's even worse is that children are masked.

 

They aren't doing it voluntarily, or for any good epidemiological reason. They are doing it because of their parents disproportionate fear of covid. 

 

Masking kids is stunting their communication and development, doing them psychological harm. It needs to end. 

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, anrcaccount said:

It's bad enough that the absurdity of mass mask wearing persists in adults in Thailand (and this is now one of the few places in the world where it does) , but what's even worse is that children are masked.

 

They aren't doing it voluntarily, or for any good epidemiological reason. They are doing it because of their parents disproportionate fear of covid. 

 

Masking kids is stunting their communication and development, doing them psychological harm. It needs to end. 

Your whole premise is nonsense, you simply make things up. 

There are quite a few countries in the region where mask wearing is 'ongoing'... perhaps the UK would not be going through a serious flu situation had they perhaps worn masks on say public transport. 

Children were the main conduit of Covid infections during the pandemic, and what we see is a legacy of that. 

If they were not doing it voluntarily they would remove them as soon as out of the door... but I see kids keeping their masks on walking alone down my road to get the school bus. 

What a drama queen, surely there are more serious situations going on to enable you to get on a soapbox. 

[anrcaccount]

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

Your whole premise is nonsense, you simply make things up. 

There are quite a few countries in the region where mask wearing is 'ongoing'... perhaps the UK would not be going through a serious flu situation had they perhaps worn masks on say public transport. 

Children were the main conduit of Covid infections during the pandemic, and what we see is a legacy of that. 

If they were not doing it voluntarily they would remove them as soon as out of the door... but I see kids keeping their masks on walking alone down my road to get the school bus. 

What a drama queen, surely there are more serious situations going on to enable you to get on a soapbox. 

I said 'mass' mask wearing. That is, population level masking, that is only happening in handful of countries in the world now, Thailand being one of them. The rest of the world goes about it's business mostly mask free now. 

 

Kids ( and adults for that matter) are now doing it out of social pressure, with no real justification. It would only prevent infection if they wore N95's constantly , which isn't the case. They take them off to eat / play at schools so the infection prevention use of them is very low anyway. 

 

Children are at low/ no risk from covid.  Getting them to be permanently masked is cruel, it is a serious situation worthy of a soapbox. This place used to be called the land of smiles, remember?

 

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, anrcaccount said:

Children are at low/ no risk from covid.  Getting them to be permanently masked is cruel, it is a serious situation worthy of a soapbox. This place used to be called the land of smiles, remember?

You did not read what was posted..... kids returning to school increased Covid generally during the pandemic.... bringing it to vulnerable adults. And you said yourself they are not permanently masked... make your mind up. 

Plenty of smiles at the fireworks last night..... 

[anrcaccount]

9 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

You did not read what was posted..... kids returning to school increased Covid generally during the pandemic.... bringing it to vulnerable adults. And you said yourself they are not permanently masked... make your mind up. 

Plenty of smiles at the fireworks last night..... 

Sure, but the goal isn't zero covid. We now have effective vaccines and ant viral treatments for the vulnerable.

 

In my view( which is shared by the vast majority of the world including the public health authorities of almost every country)  kids masking causes more harm than it prevents - thus it isn't recommended just about anywhere.

 

Even in Thailand , the education department removed the mandate, but the practice is lingering due to social factors. 

 

But it is good to hear plenty of smiles at the fireworks - would be good to see even more in the school classrooms and playgrounds too.  

[Boomer6969]

12 hours ago, Letseng said:

Especially, tourists who don't consider it necessary to wear a mask.

One would have to be an idiot to travel 15 hours to wear a mask on dirty beaches while they could go skiing free of any constraint.

[Skeptic7]

This story is more of a snoozer than the USA-England ⚽ game last night.????????

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, anrcaccount said:

Sure, but the goal isn't zero covid. We now have effective vaccines and ant viral treatments for the vulnerable.

Actually it is beginning to look like they (the vaccines) do not work well with the latest variants of Omicron, which is very contagious. I have a pal on anti-virals at the moment.... 

The public health authorities did not handle early Covid very well, particularly the so called developed world. Their attempt to keep PPE out of the hands of the general public was unforgivable.... I hope not to see the issue that caused return. 

 

[BKKBike09]

45 minutes ago, anrcaccount said:

It's bad enough that the absurdity of mass mask wearing persists in adults in Thailand

I did chuckle yesterday when I entered the sauna at my local gym to find one other person in there, a Thai dude wearing an N95 mask! In 75 degree C dry heat. Go figure.

 

Social pressure coupled with ignorance and fear.

 

[jacko45k]

5 minutes ago, BKKBike09 said:

I did chuckle yesterday when I entered the sauna at my local gym to find one other person in there, a Thai dude wearing an N95 mask! In 75 degree C dry heat. Go figure.

 

Social pressure coupled with ignorance and fear.

 

If he wore it as a consideration to others around him, that is commendable..... 

[Stargeezr]

What expat posters always seem to forget. Thais mostly  have  jobs, where if they do not show up  to work they

do not get paid.   It would be wonderful if the retired people on this forum would remember that fact. It 

would also be appreciated if the younger posters on this forum would also know of this fact.

Enough said. Carry on.

[anrcaccount]

23 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Actually it is beginning to look like they (the vaccines) do not work well with the latest variants of Omicron, which is very contagious.

That's not the point of the vaccines and those who hold that view are operating under a misunderstanding.

 

It's well established that the vaccines do little to reduce transmission of Omicron, but they do a lot to reduce severe illness especially in the vulnerable.

 

 

 

 

 

[swm59nj]

There are still many people getting Covid in different parts of the world. 
Unfortunately the Thai woman I’m dating got symptoms and tested positive for Covid early in the week  She has mild symptoms and is recovering.  Cough, fever, sore throat.  Luckily she has two Moderna boosters one fairly recently.  We went to Bumrungard to be checked. 
Im experiencing some very minimal symptoms with no fever so far.  The symptom effects seem to come and go. Doctor said for me to isolate also .  And if these very minor symptoms don’t go away in seven days get a test.  I could not get one initially.  Because doctor thought I was actually asymptomatic. I have three boosters one recent. 
    Covid had not gone away.  And according to statistics many people are still testing positive and have symptoms in the world.  Just with the vaccines the seriousness  illness has diminished .  But people still need to take precautions and keep up with vaccinations. 
   When you test positive for  Covid you go to a special area at the hospital to get checked in and wait to be seen.  
   All the Thai  people waiting in that area were wearing masks.  Most foreigners that entered the area either had no mask or were wearing one under their chin. And had no problem getting close to other people.  The staff had to keep telling these people to mask up.  And some of these people look at the staff dumbfounded. 
    It’s amazing how ignorant and uncaring people can be.  That you test positive.  Have symptoms. And you go in public not wearing a mask.  Or have one under your chin.