Must Read WHO declares end to COVID global health emergency

[webfact]

 

World Health Organization Ends Global Covid-19 Emergency
By Adam Judd

 

The spread of COVID-19 is no longer a worldwide public health emergency, the World Health Organization said Friday, May 5th, 2023 at night time in Bangkok, Thailand.

 

“For over a year, the pandemic has been on a decreasing trend with population immunity increasing from vaccination and infection, mortality decreasing, and the pressure on health systems easing,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a media press conference in Geneva.

 

The Covid-19 pandemic emergency saw literally years of business closures, restrictions, lockdowns, and hardships for millions in Thailand, especially the tourism industry which TPN Media’s home market of Pattaya, Thailand depends on for over 90 percent of its GDP.

 

Thailand ended all of its Covid-19 restrictions in the middle of 2022 but even now, well into 2023, many Thais continue to wear face masks,

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/05/06/world-health-organization-ends-global-covid-19-emergency/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-05-06

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

[Tug]

That’s great news I personally am saddened that we as a society dident respond in a better way I’m sure it would have saved many lives my deepest condolences to all who have lost loved ones and for the financial hardship it caused to all of us hopefully we will do better next time

[webfact]

WHO declares end to COVID global health emergency
 

 

LONDON, May 5 (Reuters) – The World Health Organization on Friday declared an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency, marking a major step toward the end of the pandemic that has killed more than 6.9 million people, disrupted the global economy and ravaged communities.

 

The WHO’s Emergency Committee met on Thursday and recommended the UN-agency declare an end to the coronavirus crisis as a “public health emergency of international concern”, which has been in place for over three years.

 

“It is therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that the end of the emergency did not mean COVID was over as a global health threat.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/who-declares-end-to-covid-global-health-emergency/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-05-06

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

[dinsdale]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thailand ended all of its Covid-19 restrictions in the middle of 2022 but even now, well into 2023, many Thais continue to wear face masks,

 

I think most still wear 'masks' because of constant alarmist articles, a lack of a basic understanding of virus, which of course is now Omicron, and basically no one has told them they can take them off. I still see people using bandanas as masks.  Anyhow I've been saying that covid is endemic for a while and got poo pooed by some on here. Well there you go. It officially is no longer a pandemic meaning that it is now ..........endemic.

[Yogiran]

The usage of face masks was common before covid for various reasons. I saw that also in Vietnam to protect the face from sun and dust while riding bikes.

Yes there is more usage now after covid.

[Gknrd]

Here in the US it's been over for a long time. Good to hear though...

[hotchilli]

Good news, we can all breathe easily again.. 

only the PM2.5 issue to deal with.

[onthedarkside]

Good news.

 

However a vaccine misinformation post has been removed. The pandemic is officially over as designated by WHO. That does not mean you can post vaccine conspiracy information.

 

Any posts scaremongering, deliberately misleading or which deliberately distort vaccine information will be removed. As per forum rules.

[anrcaccount]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

I think most still wear 'masks' because of constant alarmist articles, a lack of a basic understanding of virus, which of course is now Omicron, and basically no one has told them they can take them off. I still see people using bandanas as masks.  Anyhow I've been saying that covid is endemic for a while and got poo pooed by some on here. Well there you go. It officially is no longer a pandemic meaning that it is now ..........endemic.

This is it. Just a couple more things need to occur to get Thailand back to "normal" as relates to covid. 

 

1. Thai officials need to tell their people they can stop wearing masks. 

 

2. The alarmist media reporting needs to stop. 

[jacko45k]

6 minutes ago, anrcaccount said:

1. Thai officials need to tell their people they can stop wearing masks. 

 

2. The alarmist media reporting needs to stop. 

As we enter e new era...... perhaps we should advocate...

1)  Freedom of choice for the people.

2) Freedom of the press.

 

[RichardColeman]

W.H.O. about as useless as a virgin detector in soi 6 

[Red Phoenix]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand ended all of its Covid-19 restrictions in the middle of 2022 but even now, well into 2023, many Thais continue to wear face masks,

A helpful member clarified the issue.

[webfact]

Covid global health emergency is over, WHO says
By Smitha Mundasad and Philippa Roxby
Health reporters

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that Covid-19 no longer represents a "global health emergency".

 

The statement represents a major step towards ending the pandemic and comes three years after it first declared its highest level of alert over the virus.

 

Officials said the virus' death rate had dropped from a peak of more than 100,000 people per week in January 2021 to just over 3,500 on 24 April.

 

The head of the WHO said at least seven million people died in the pandemic.

 

Full story: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-65499929

 

-- © Copyright BBC 2023-05-06

[loong]

32 minutes ago, anrcaccount said:

1. Thai officials need to tell their people they can stop wearing masks. 

They told the Thai people a long time ago that it was no longer required that people wear masks.

So now it is a matter of choice.
Why do so many seem to care about other people's choices to wear a mask?

I still choose to wear a mask when I go to the market, Big C and crowded places.

It is my choice and you really have no need to be concerned about it.

[Drumbuie]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/05/covid-19-no-longer-global-health-emergency-world-health-organization

 

 Not an *emergency*, no, but "last week COVID-19 claimed a life every three minutes – and that’s just the deaths we know about.”

 

Plus Long COVID is, unfortunately, real. 

 

 

[Venom]

I don't care, I'm still going to wear a mask. ????

[sammieuk1]

Dr Goggle Yong will be along in a fortnight to confirm his breakthrough news ????

[EdrigoSalvadore]

Hopefully the Philippines will remove their restrictions soon. I've been wanting to travel there for several years, but restrictions stopped me.

[stoner]

2 hours ago, Yogiran said:

The usage of face masks was common before covid for various reasons. I saw that also in Vietnam to protect the face from sun and dust while riding bikes.

Yes there is more usage now after covid.

please stop perpetuating this myth. 

 

yes some people wore masks prior to covid but in no way was it common. i would say it was less than 3 to 5 percent of the population that wore masks prior to covid. which by any measure is a small minority. 

 

this is easily proven with a youtube search which will produce thousands of videos of every day life in and about bkk prior to covid. 

[koolkarl]

My friend and his wife and many of his workers caught covid a week ago. I will always wear a mask inside for covid and outside because the air is always toxic with aqi well above 100 most of the time.

[bignok]

1 hour ago, anrcaccount said:

This is it. Just a couple more things need to occur to get Thailand back to "normal" as relates to covid. 

 

1. Thai officials need to tell their people they can stop wearing masks. 

 

2. The alarmist media reporting needs to stop. 

No 2 always happens. Just different scares. Eat enough minerals, get sun, walk. Your body them copes with issues far better.

[BangkokReady]

3 hours ago, dinsdale said:

I think most still wear 'masks' because of constant alarmist articles, a lack of a basic understanding of virus, which of course is now Omicron, and basically no one has told them they can take them off. I still see people using bandanas as masks.

I still regularly see Thais lifting their masks from under their chin and putting it over their nose and mouth when they spot me, even if we are both outside, I'm wearing a mask, and we are more than ten metres apart.

 

It seems like many Thais still have the idea that all foreigners have covid, and possibly that it is spread through eye contact,

[BangkokReady]

57 minutes ago, loong said:

Why do so many seem to care about other people's choices to wear a mask?

It makes people feel bad.  We need to see people's faces.

[Peterphuket]

51 minutes ago, stoner said:

please stop perpetuating this myth. 

 

yes some people wore masks prior to covid but in no way was it common. i would say it was less than 3 to 5 percent of the population that wore masks prior to covid. which by any measure is a small minority. 

 

this is easily proven with a youtube search which will produce thousands of videos of every day life in and about bkk prior to covid. 

Well...I think when you look to Japan, it is a bit different, isn't?

[Bangkok Barry]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand ended all of its Covid-19 restrictions in the middle of 2022 but even now, well into 2023, many Thais continue to wear face masks,

It seems that no-one told Thai Air Asia. I've booked a flight for later this month and the booking says that everyone must wear a mask while checking in, throughout the flight and at baggage claim. Maybe they haven't bothered to update their website? Any recent experiences, anyone?

[QballQ]

6 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

It seems that no-one told Thai Air Asia. I've booked a flight for later this month and the booking says that everyone must wear a mask while checking in, throughout the flight and at baggage claim. Maybe they haven't bothered to update their website? Any recent experiences, anyone?

Any recent experience of companies in Thailand not updating their website or flying on Air Asia? Loads of experience of the first, very little of the latter.

[stoner]

9 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

Well...I think when you look to Japan, it is a bit different, isn't?

good thing i was speaking about thailand then eh ? 

[driver52]

5 hours ago, Tug said:

That’s great news I personally am saddened that we as a society dident respond in a better way I’m sure it would have saved many lives my deepest condolences to all who have lost loved ones and for the financial hardship it caused to all of us hopefully we will do better next time

very ambiguous post......do better in what way? Luc Montagnier nobel prize winner, said the only thing we need to protect against a virus is a good immune system

RIP sir, so sad that the government vilified you in later life....hmmm wonder why that was eh?? could it be the government workers are all rich?

oops don't say that, the 'thought police' will be along shortly to put me back in my box eh.....

[dinsdale]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

As we enter e new era...... perhaps we should advocate...

1)  Freedom of choice for the people.

2) Freedom of the press.

 

3) Freedom of speach.

[ikke1959]

except for Thailand....Covid there is surging