Study ranks New Zealand as best place to ride out COVID-19 - but how does Thailand fare?

[webfact]

Study ranks New Zealand as best place to ride out COVID-19 - but how does Thailand fare?

 

REUTERS file photo for reference only

 

New Zealand has come out on top in a study into the resilience of each country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The Pacific nation topped the list of 53 nations in the study called ‘Best and Worst Places to Ride Out Covid', conducted by news site Bloomberg.

 

Japan and Taiwan were ranked in second and third, respectively, followed by South Korea and Finland.

 

The study said the worst places to be during the pandemic were Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Belgium and Czech Republic.

 

Despite being regarded as some of the countries best prepared to handle a pandemic, the report said the UK and USA had "repeatedly been overwhelmed by infections and face a return to costly lockdowns".

 

The study analysed cases, fatality rate, the severity of lockdown, GDP growth forecasts and healthcare coverage, among other metrics.

 

New Zealand had just two cases per month per 100,000 population, and 5 deaths per million people.

 

"New Zealanders are basically living in a world without Covid," the study said.

 

 

Japan was praised for its use of 'lightning fast' contact tracing teams who had experience in dealing with an outbreak of tuberculosis in recent years. 

 

By comparison, many other countries manned their tracing teams with untrained professionals, and the results were often chaotic, the study found. 

 

Taiwan, which was also noted for its lightning fast response, was praised for locking down its borders in order to keep the virus at bay.

 

Both New Zealand and Taiwan have gone more than 200 days without a locally transmitted case.

 

The study revealed some of the lengths South Korea, which ranked 4th, went to when it came to contact tracing. Officials  combed through mobile phone and credit card records, as well as studying thousands of hours of CCTV footage to track down people who had potentially been in contact with others who tested positive for the virus.

 

The study ranked Thailand 15th overall and found that it has just 1 death per million people and a positive test rate of just 0.2%.

 

As with many countries, Thailand faces a negative GDP growth of 7.1 per cent for 2020, the same as Canada at 7.1 per cent and similar to Hong Kong at 7.5 per cent.

 

By comparison, the UK and USA face negative GDP growth of 9.8% and 4.3%, respectively.

 

The study said “places like Thailand that count on travel and tourism have seen greater blows to their economies”.

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-11-30

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[vadid]

So Thailand shown as 15th despite only two countries having a lower death rate per million. Dubious ranking.

[simon43]

[quote]

New Zealand had just two cases per month per 100,000 population, and 5 deaths per million people.

 

"New Zealanders are basically living in a world without Covid," the study said.

[/quote]

 

Laos has had zero deaths per 7 million population.  It has had a total of 0.038 cases in total per 100,000 population

 

But the overall healthcare is somewhat lacking!

[shady86]

18 minutes ago, vadid said:

So Thailand shown as 15th despite only two countries having a lower death rate per million. Dubious ranking.

 

Could be ranked higher if they introduce mass testing instead of selective. 

[Misterwhisper]

How about Svalbard, Falkland Islands, St. Helena, or Tristan da Cunha?

[Raymonddiaz]

They don’t believe Thailand numbers...... that’s plain and simple 

[PJPom]

Strange ratings on this chart, if you take deaths per million most of the higher rated countries make Thailand’s totals look insignificant.

Before anyone starts with Thailand Government figures are never true ask around to see how many know of COVID deaths, myself I have not heard of any in my area.

[thaibeachlovers]

Just as well they add covid to that, and it should also mention "if one has enough money to live in a house" Not much fun living in a motel because one hasn't enough money to rent in a runaway rental market. Prior to corona people were living in cars.

[Ireland32]

No Way there’s Kiwis there rather be in Thailand 

[mfd101]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

the study called ‘Best and Worst Places to Ride Out Covid', conducted by news site Bloomberg.

Clearly highly reliable.

[thaibeachlovers]

12 minutes ago, Ireland32 said:

No Way there’s Kiwis there rather be in Thailand 

I would rather be in LOS. It'd be great without the crowds.

[jaiyen]

Western Australia is at the top of the list, but they have grouped all of the Australian states together.  That's not realistic as Australia is a continent bigger than Europe !

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Study ranks New Zealand as best place to ride out COVID-19 - but how does Thailand fare?

Just like to point out that you cannot ride the horse if you cannot get into the paddock !

[rkidlad]

What about North Korea? I think you’ll find that North Korea and China are ranked 1st and 2nd (respectively). That’s according to this Chinese scholar who has US residency. 
 

https://www.onlinecitizenasia.com/2020/11/26/chinese-scholar-jokingly-claims-4000-covid-19-related-deaths-in-china-equal-to-no-death-at-all-compared-to-220000-deaths-in-us/

[Scot123]

3 hours ago, PJPom said:

Strange ratings on this chart, if you take deaths per million most of the higher rated countries make Thailand’s totals look insignificant.

Before anyone starts with Thailand Government figures are never true ask around to see how many know of COVID deaths, myself I have not heard of any in my area.

Because they are not recording them as covid deaths. I read a while ago that there is a big increase in influenza recorded deaths in Thailand plus old people and the sick who die dont get autopsies the same as in the west they are just taken to the temple and burnt and they are Covid bread and butter.

[shady86]

4 hours ago, PJPom said:

Strange ratings on this chart, if you take deaths per million most of the higher rated countries make Thailand’s totals look insignificant.

Before anyone starts with Thailand Government figures are never true ask around to see how many know of COVID deaths, myself I have not heard of any in my area.

 

Easy, just add everything to road deaths, they are at the very top for that. ????

[yellowboat]

Vietnam beats Thailand easily yet again.   Also heard Apple wants to move to Vietnam.   Thailand better do something about their lack of competitiveness.

 

China is a good place to ride out the pandemic?  Until there is another one?  ????Bloomberg is in love with China.????

[PJPom]

14 minutes ago, Scot123 said:

Because they are not recording them as covid deaths. I read a while ago that there is a big increase in influenza recorded deaths in Thailand plus old people and the sick who die dont get autopsies the same as in the west they are just taken to the temple and burnt and they are Covid bread and butter.

I live in an area where everybody seems to know everybody else and talking to people, not reading reports, nobody has died of Covid that we know. I am not doubting that COVID is around and take precautions as I am in the age bracket for problems if I catch it. We have three mosques and two Wats within a few km and none of them have had any unusual spates of burials or burnings, it is extremely puzzling.

The only person who I know of who died was my Cousin in the UK, she was 84, admitted to Hospital, told that her chances of surviving the necessary operation were extremely poor due to existing heart condition. She elected to go ahead and survived for four days, officially she died of COVID contacted in ICU, nothing mentioned of initial prognosis.

I am definitely not a conspiracy theorist but haven’t a clue how Thailand has escaped mass deaths seeing we hosted so many Chinese before the shutdown.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Study ranks New Zealand as best place to ride out COVID-19 - but how does Thailand fare?

Okay as long as you're not along the Myanmar border in the northern areas.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, Ireland32 said:

No Way there’s Kiwis there rather be in Thailand 

Only because they can't pull a sheep !

[Dumbastheycome]

2 hours ago, Scot123 said:

Because they are not recording them as covid deaths. I read a while ago that there is a big increase in influenza recorded deaths in Thailand plus old people and the sick who die dont get autopsies the same as in the west they are just taken to the temple and burnt and they are Covid bread and butter.

If it were true that covid  deaths are being reported  as  influenza cases then why do the  official statistics  show  a minimal fatality rate for  influenza despite an acknowledged spike in influenza infections early this year?

Also why is there  so much concern and reaction to the  Myanmar/Chiang Rai/ Mai detections if  covid is  rampant in the community?

Many old people in Thailand  who have been suffering long term illness do indeed  die at  home  but the  vast majority have had some degree of hospital stay. Thai Govt. hospitals rarely accommodate long term palliative admissions. They already try to cope with the influx of  people diseased with or  dying of  cancers, diabetic  conditions , coronary issues, etc's of the  whole spectrum of illnesses acquired to ignorance compounded  by sparse education.

If widespread Covid-19 was added the reality of it  would be to evident  too deny !

But while that does not deny the  mystery  of  why it is  not the efforts  to ensure it stays that way is  more important.

 

[Caldera]

Ah, yet another ranking. For what it's worth, I've been happy in Thailand.

[EricTh]

9 hours ago, jaiyen said:

Western Australia is at the top of the list, but they have grouped all of the Australian states together.  That's not realistic as Australia is a continent bigger than Europe !

 

And China is bigger than Australia.. So your point is????

 

Statistics are always based on countries no matter small or huge.

 

Australia's population is tiny, China's population exceeds the total population of whole of Europe and also USA combined.

 

So any statistics based on country is meaningless.

Edited November 30, 2020 by EricTh

[sammieuk1]

11 hours ago, Raymonddiaz said:

They don’t believe Thailand numbers...... that’s plain and simple 

Who does believe any Thai numbers on anything ????

[oldhippy]

Presently I am riding out covid in Madeira, almost no cases here (while Continental Portugal is as bad as the rest of Europe) - all thanks to the fact that from the beginning Madeira asked for a covid test for all arrivals to the island.

Wine at 1 euro a liter, steak from the Azoras, local fish, friendly people and levada walks make it very bearable.

And the climate? Eternal spring.

 

[Albert Zweistein]

14 hours ago, shady86 said:

 

Could be ranked higher if they introduce mass testing instead of selective. 

Or lower.

[FritsSikkink]

20 hours ago, Raymonddiaz said:

They don’t believe Thailand numbers...... that’s plain and simple 

Which is pretty stupid, as we don't have full hospitals and we don't have a lockdown unlike Germany which is ranked higher. The list is a joke.

[sscc]

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

Which is pretty stupid, as we don't have full hospitals and we don't have a lockdown unlike Germany which is ranked higher. The list is a joke.

Yes, it is. 

[Rancid]

Suppose it depends on your view of covid, if you believe it is end of days then relishing in a fascist lock down no doubt brings peace of mind while you enjoy another game of solitaire. If you believe it is basically a nasty flu the then freer the response the better.

 

Of course while politicians who lock down are popular now, lets see what happens when the true social and economic carnage of these actions come to bear fruit. The hundreds of thousands poor that the UN predicts will die, the suicides and mental problems abounding will unlikely shed a tear from those hiding in basements.

[SmartyMarty]

23 hours ago, PJPom said:

Strange ratings on this chart, if you take deaths per million most of the higher rated countries make Thailand’s totals look insignificant.

Before anyone starts with Thailand Government figures are never true ask around to see how many know of COVID deaths, myself I have not heard of any in my area.

Maybe not but I'd love to see the deaths attributed to viral pneumonia.