435 Bangkok Schools To Close July 15-19

[ironhut]

I'm back in the USA for the summer. There is ZERO discussion related to swine flu. It isn't even on the radar at all. I actually forgot about it until the breaking news from THAI VISA in my inbox. Wow. Sounds like Bangkok has turned to Hong Kong's type of paranoia...very unfortunate and a waste of resources - not to mention the unjust worrying messages sent to the naive/trusting people.

[cecco]

I see several scenarios:

1. They can save a lot of money by shutting down the education system.

2. They can santize places which is a big success story here in Thailand.

3. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=q&sou...95912,94.394531

This is a google mapping of the spread of the flu, updating, some data is a week old, etc. But it's a good map. zoom in and out, and click around, it's pretty interesting. the map will give u infections and deaths in most parts of the world, as they are reported. The virus originated in Mexico so calling it the "Mexican flu" would be more correct, and it has taken over the N. American Continent, and spread around the world, but the S. Thailand area seems to be a very seriously infected area, compared to the rest of Asia (thus far). Thailand needs to deal with it, but the WHO is saying the whole world needs to be vaccinated, starting with health care professionals. Yes, it appears to be "coming at you and me."

435 Bangkok schools closed July 15-19

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has ordered closed all of its 435 schools, 200 nurseries and 13 occupational training centres for five days from July 15 to 19 to prevent the spread of the A/H1N1 flu.

M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, the BMA governor, said after a meeting of the city administrators on Tuesday that the BMA will concentrate on campaigning for the people to wear a protective mask, especially at a crowded place.

The BMA will distribute 2 million masks to the people at various crowded locations such as at the BTS electric train stations and Hua Lampong railway station. Bangkok MPs and city councillors will be asked to distribute 10,000 masks each to the people in their constituencies, he said.

Billboards to campaign for the peple to wear a mask and wash their hands will be put up at various corners of the city starting Tuesday. All community radios will also be asked to join the campaign.

The BMA also plans to close all of its school on Aug 10-11 to allow officials concerned to conduct a major clean up of the schools five days from August 8 to 12. However, this can be changed if the cabinet makes a resolution for schools to close for a clean up before this period.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-07-14

[kurtgruen]

Ah the power of fear . . . don't you just love it ?

Exactly! You hit the nail right on the head there.

BTW, I'm back in Canada now and have just worked two festivals, this summer. Both over 5000 people crowded together. Bigger than the years before and nobody we know off caught the swine flu. Maybe Rock and Roll is the antidote.

[Thighlander]

There has never been a better time to be a teacher at Bangkok Christian College. Praise the Lord; School is closed.

[Lopburi99]

I'm back in the USA for the summer. There is ZERO discussion related to swine flu. It isn't even on the radar at all. I actually forgot about it until the breaking news from THAI VISA in my inbox. Wow. Sounds like Bangkok has turned to Hong Kong's type of paranoia...very unfortunate and a waste of resources - not to mention the unjust worrying messages sent to the naive/trusting people.

I know. It's like, excuse me, are we talking about the same flu? Bizarre.

[babuhavas]

cool that means no early morning trafic jam....i can use cab for going work,

wow its been long since i used cab in morning,this should be fun

[BigBikeBKK]

The main concern about this one is the kill ratio that it currently appears to have. Common Flu is far more widespread for the moment, and therefore appears to kill a lot more, and like Dengue fever therefore appears to be of greater concern. The thing is that it seems that more people that catch this one are dying (some stats have it as high as 5% whilst common flu is below 1%).

I'm calling bs on this one- please provide your source for 5% mortality rate. Thanks

[minxwhale]

In the UK, and I suppose other countries, it was stressed that washing hands WITH soap was effective. I haven't seen much soap in wash rooms in shops, bus stations etc out here. So is just putting hands under running water any use?

HOT water is needed to kill any bacteria. Since there is NONE in any public bathroom I know of in Siam, handwashing will have no effect here.

[minxwhale]

On reading this article it looks more like there are closing the schools to sanitize them more than anything.

USELESS. The flu virus will not live outside the body for more than a few hours. Overnight will kill all the bacteria residing on any doorhandles or any place else snot-nosed kids lay their hands

[BigBikeBKK]

I think it is wise that people should carry round the anti-bacterial hand wash with them, you can use it like hand lotion you don not need water, when you go on the childrens ward and they even have it at the side of patients beds in the hospital in the UK you have to use this on your hands before entering the ward. You can buy it in Boots and I would even consider buying a tube and putting it in my childs school bag.

Facemasks and hand wash...

Why not live in a bubble and wear a body condom when you need to go out...

[BigBikeBKK]

There are only two effective treatments for influenza, Relenza and Tamiflu.

You forgot chicken soup and rest... Always works for me

[Lopburi99]

In the UK, and I suppose other countries, it was stressed that washing hands WITH soap was effective. I haven't seen much soap in wash rooms in shops, bus stations etc out here. So is just putting hands under running water any use?

HOT water is needed to kill any bacteria. Since there is NONE in any public bathroom I know of in Siam, handwashing will have no effect here.

I wondered about that. Experts, is this true for washing with SOAP, hot water is needed? I would assume however, the cleaning gel (whatever it is called) does kill the bacteria otherwise what good would it be.

[lounger]

There are only two effective treatments for influenza, Relenza and Tamiflu.

You forgot chicken soup and rest... Always works for me

Yes get thge flu then treat it........

A UK virologist said we should have pig flu parties; meaning we should all opt to catch it as soon as possible. If you cannot get immunisation catching the current strain will be far preferable to the mutated version that is due to materialise later..... That one will more than likely kill you....

[minxwhale]

In the UK, and I suppose other countries, it was stressed that washing hands WITH soap was effective. I haven't seen much soap in wash rooms in shops, bus stations etc out here. So is just putting hands under running water any use?

HOT water is needed to kill any bacteria. Since there is NONE in any public bathroom I know of in Siam, handwashing will have no effect here.

I wondered about that. Experts, is this true for washing with SOAP, hot water is needed? I would assume however, the cleaning gel (whatever it is called) does kill the bacteria otherwise what good would it be.

The cleaning gel works really well.

I wrote an article on this subject years ago for a newspaper I worked for as a reporter (long before any pandemic hysteria). The doctors I interviewed, including one from the CDC, said that if you have, and wash your hands with hot enough water (as hot as you can stand) for 20 seconds under it with or without soap it will kill all flu and cold virus. Obviously this is not practical here in somtamville.

[minxwhale]

Cabinet approves Bt850 million to combat A(H1N1) pandemic

BANGKOK, July 14 (TNA) - The Thai Cabinet on Tuesday approved a Bt850 million budget to fight the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic which has killed at least 24 Thais, while infecting more than 4,000 others across the country.

//snip//

The Cabinet on Tuesday also resolved not to temporarily close schools to control the H1N1 outbreak.

//snip//

Political News : Last Update : 17:58:11 14 July 2009

Article link

Now wait a sec... does this mean that the decision to close the schools has been REVERSED??? My public school I teach at ISN'T being closed???

...dazed and confused, and not from the flu (bug, that is)

GETTING BACK TO THE THREAD AT HAND....

Now we have conflicting information. Anybody have an update on this? Get to work people!

[BigBikeBKK]

HOT water is needed to kill any bacteria. Since there is NONE in any public bathroom I know of in Siam, handwashing will have no effect here.

First, the flu isn't caused by BACTERIA...

Second, hot water is not the only thing that can kill viruses and bacteria.

Third, there are some viruses and bacteria that can only live in hot water...

[gunnyd]

Yes my stats were dated. I am man enough to admit that I was wrong.

TOTAL Cases in US and territories (54)*

37,246 cases

211 deaths

*Includes the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

0.056 % Fatality Rate - CDC H1N1 Flu Update

Now be good kids and listen to Elmo

If you want to be hysterical about something than let it be this: Mass Swine Flu vaccinations are in the works. They are seriously discussing doing this in the schools in the USA. As much as the Thai government is overacting to the Swine Flu mass vaccinations could be coming there too. Last time they did this in 1976 they killed 25 people with the vaccine and only 1 person died from the disease.

[robokop]

Hi.

Stupid question. But what's all this "washing hands" do to a virus that is spread exclusively through the air, i.e. via coughing and sneezing..?? And i highly doubt that those silly masks have any effect on this virus. They can't even hold Diesel soot out, i've tried it.

Best regards.....

Thanh

Yes it was a very stupid question and one that you should not even ask about, but should talk about it's importance in spreading disease. Some of the industrial countries, in some schools, school children are being shown that when they cough or sneeze, they should uggh, cough or sneeze into their shirt to keeping germs from going airborn. Then children in school, are brought 3 to 4 times a day to wash their hands. It is a well known medical fact that the number one way of spreading diseases is though contact with things with one's hands. While the current flu is said to be spead through the air, taking these precautions makes kids and adults aware of today's problems and is a great way to educate the masses to reduce the spead of many other diseases. Yes those silly masks that are being dittributed do not work. They are cheap and not ment to keep out germs. Go buy a medical mask that is made to keep out most germs and look at the cost. They are far to costly for poor govt to buy thousands of masks for free distrubution, so for sure what you see being given out, are not the medical masks.

[ezside]

Where do you get your information? According to http://flutracker.rhizalabs.com/ the official count in the US is as of this moment:

United States total - 38,744 confirmed cases, 201 deaths

Nevertheless, a death rate of 0.52%.

Hysteria in the only pandemic going on here.

Don't forget profit!

[tracer]

Hi.

Stupid question. But what's all this "washing hands" do to a virus that is spread exclusively through the air, i.e. via coughing and sneezing..?? And i highly doubt that those silly masks have any effect on this virus. They can't even hold Diesel soot out, i've tried it.

Best regards.....

Thanh

All I can say about it is that that SILLY mask gets dirt from whatever reason you probably would take it off and then STILL infect others or get infected by them. Its a good example that there is a tool which Could work under the proper circumstances which in my opinion exclused most households anywhere.....

Think it over: how long does that mask keeps working properly...

[BigBikeBKK]

[JetsetBkk]

Yes my stats were dated. I am man enough to admit that I was wrong...

0.056 % Fatality Rate...

And wrong again: 0.56%, not 0.056%.

[g00dgirl]

Ah the power of fear . . . don't you just love it ?

The pharmaceutical companies who are selling the vaccine (that has now been strategically announced while the fear is there) and the antiviral medications love it for sure.

Cabinet approves Bt850 million to combat A(H1N1) pandemic

BANGKOK, July 14 (TNA) - The Thai Cabinet on Tuesday approved a Bt850 million budget to fight the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic which has killed at least 24 Thais, while infecting more than 4,000 others across the country.

Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbhodi revealed that Bt650 million will be spent on procurement of two million doses of anti-H1N1 vaccines to inject health officials and at-risk patients.

Another Bt250 million, Mr. Manit said, will be used for 10 million antiviral Oseltamivir tablets to be distributed to hospitals nationwide.

Ah there we go. Bt850 million budget, Bt650 million for vaccines and Bt250 million for antiviral medications, adds up to Bt900 million, anyway ...

Edited July 14, 2009 by g00dgirl

[walterego]

So far I am yet to be informed from a reliable source of the existence of a H1N1 that has been licenced and brought to a 'safe' and tested standard although I know through recent research of several companys that have serums in the pipeline. So who are they giving the 650,000,000 thb to?

is there a 'safe' vaccine available, that is tested and licenced?

[billsykes]

Hi.

Stupid question. But what's all this "washing hands" do to a virus that is spread exclusively through the air, i.e. via coughing and sneezing..?? And i highly doubt that those silly masks have any effect on this virus. They can't even hold Diesel soot out, i've tried it.

Best regards.....

Thanh

These are the kinds of masks needed and I seriouly doubt that they will spend the money to buy them. N-95 masks $13 (450 baht) to $120 (4000 Baht) each

Q. Can those face masks really protect me from swine flu?

A. Yes and no.

The blue surgical masks you've seen being passed out to Mexican pedestrians are better than nothing but probably only marginally useful, said Andrew Pekosz, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland.

While such masks block the relatively large, virus-carrying droplets sneezed out by infected people, the viruses themselves are much smaller and could easily pass through. Specialty masks, designated N-95 or N-99, are better filters but still not perfect.

For better protection, Pekosz recommends combining a mask with regular hand washing and keeping 3 to 4 feet (90 to 120 centimeters) away from other people. -National Geographic Online

They are striving for the appearance that they are doing something. Closing schools is a publicity stunt, it will accomplish nothing. Proper hygiene and medical surveillance would be a better course.

shut up, at least they are doing something. so, Proper hygiene and medical surveillance would be a better course. Balls, you think you could do better? Sometimes you guys make me feel sick, wake up sad people and get a life, apart from thai visa, thier is life after thailand?

Edited July 14, 2009 by billsykes

[gunnyd]

Yes my stats were dated. I am man enough to admit that I was wrong...

0.056 % Fatality Rate...

And wrong again: 0.56%, not 0.056%.

Forgot to carry the decimal point. Oh cock, not another mistake I was so sure I was perfect.

from @billsykes' post

shut up, at least they are doing something. so, Proper hygiene and medical surveillance would be a better course. Balls, you think you could do better? Sometimes you guys make me feel sick, wake up sad people and get a life, apart from thai visa, thier is life after thailand?

Say <deleted> all you want, FYI I am an experienced Nurse, if attempting to quell the hysteria that has been given to the current incarnation of the Swine Flu is bad, then I guess I am a bad guy. Knowledge is a bad thing? I've left links and informational videos. We have been through SARS, Avian Flu, Anthrax in the mail, and planes falling out of the sky. You can choose to be scared or choose to be informed. Watch Elmo and you will know what to do.

Infection Control is an essential element in medical training and health care. Could I personally do a better job, most likely not. But I get the feeling that politicians are running this circus, not medical professionals.

Have a wonderful day. ...cough ...cough

Or you can just flame others.... Was it fun?

[somchaiq]

The only people, which do not know about it, are the Teachers.

My Son's School is not closed.

435 Bangkok schools closed July 15-19

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has ordered closed all of its 435 schools, 200 nurseries and 13 occupational training centres for five days from July 15 to 19 to prevent the spread of the A/H1N1 flu.

M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, the BMA governor, said after a meeting of the city administrators on Tuesday that the BMA will concentrate on campaigning for the people to wear a protective mask, especially at a crowded place.

The BMA will distribute 2 million masks to the people at various crowded locations such as at the BTS electric train stations and Hua Lampong railway station. Bangkok MPs and city councillors will be asked to distribute 10,000 masks each to the people in their constituencies, he said.

Billboards to campaign for the peple to wear a mask and wash their hands will be put up at various corners of the city starting Tuesday. All community radios will also be asked to join the campaign.

The BMA also plans to close all of its school on Aug 10-11 to allow officials concerned to conduct a major clean up of the schools five days from August 8 to 12. However, this can be changed if the cabinet makes a resolution for schools to close for a clean up before this period.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-07-14

[xenophanes]

QUOTE

First Chinese swine flu fatality "was electrocuted"

A 34-year-old woman who became the first swine flu victim to die in China may have actually been electrocuted in the hospital toilet, it has emerged.

When you gotta go, you gotta go...

[Robby nz]

Schools closed for 5 days!

Should be all over by then... thats good

[AFHH]

As G.Bush and his OMS' friends said: You gotta get Tamilflu, massively and quickly.

The problem is Tamiflu is an uneffective drug with a lot of secondary effects that belongs to Gilead Science, a company owned by ..... Dick Cheney!

Got it ?

Edited July 15, 2009 by AFHH