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SURVEY: Will Thailand get the virus under control?


Scott

SURVEY: Covid, out of control or controllable?  

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On 4/16/2021 at 8:58 AM, cdemundo said:

 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system

 

"For now, there are no scientifically proven direct links between lifestyle and enhanced immune function."

 

Common sense recommendations from the same article:

 

"Don't smoke.

Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables.

Exercise regularly.

Maintain a healthy weight.

If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.

Get adequate sleep.

Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.

Try to minimize stress.

Keep current with all recommended vaccines. Vaccines prime your immune system to fight off infections before they take hold in your body."

 

A lot of health gurus blather on about "super charging" your immune system and such, but there really isn't a way to dramatically improve your overall immune system.

 

All these recommendations (with the exception of vaccines) are targeted at the innate (or general) immune system.

Vaccines are targeted at the adaptive (or specific) immune system which targets a specific pathogen that has been previously encountered.

The adaptive immune system targets the pathogen (virus in this case) much more effectively.

 

The most effective way to strengthen your immune system with respect to COVID is a vaccine.

That is beyond debate.

 

 

 

 

I beg to differ. Taking vitamin D and Zinc Supplements has proven to boost the effectiveness of a persons immune system. Ask any doctor and don't take the word of the WHO or The American CDC who are both pushing an agenda.

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19 minutes ago, Kurtf said:

I beg to differ. Taking vitamin D and Zinc Supplements has proven to boost the effectiveness of a persons immune system. Ask any doctor and don't take the word of the WHO or The American CDC who are both pushing an agenda.

CDC pushing an agenda?  You heard about that on social media?

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IMO the UK variant will continue to spread like wildfire throughout Thailand.  Herd immunity will be achieved because of this.  Whether or not the vaccines work is immaterial since so few people are being vaccinated.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Kelsall said:

IMO the UK variant will continue to spread like wildfire throughout Thailand.  Herd immunity will be achieved because of this.  Whether or not the vaccines work is immaterial since so few people are being vaccinated.

 

 

If I am not mistaken, herd immunity to a communicable disease has never been achieved without a vaccine.

I would be interested to know if there is a historical example of this happening.

Have heard people cite SARS but this not true, SARS was eliminated by the "old timey" techniques of track, trace and isolate.

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14 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Will Thailand get the virus under control?  Not if they continue to play political games about whether or not to allow the ordering and prompt rollout of vaccines by private hospitals!  I've heard all the political rhetoric against allowing this, and the stalling tactics by officials over this, and the vague official statements aimed at when Expats will be able to get vaccinated, and none of it sounds actionable, truthful or transparent.

 

It should be obvious to everyone that the ONLY thing that is going to end this pandemic are the vaccines, so getting them into the ENTIRE population as quickly as possible is the only viable solution.  NOTHING should be as important right now.

Connda has a good post in another thread that mentions what these vaccines really are.  They are experimental and people have to sign a statement acknowledging that. There are better and safer ways to deal with this situation.   

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36 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Better and safer ways to deal with the situation?  Like what?  Please inform us with some examples because I am aware of none at all. 

 

This virus is not going to just disappear.  It is here to stay...forever, just like the flu virus or the common cold!  The only way viruses like this are brought under control is through herd immunity, and historically there are only two ways this has been achieved; Either through vaccines, or simply waiting until enough people die, as was the case in the The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918.

 

A lot of "slanted" and politically charged news has been coming out about the dangers of the current vaccines lately, and a lot of it simply does not hold water when you look at the cold statistics of actual deaths or adverse reactions directly attributable to the vaccines, compared to the numbers of vaccinated people that are free from any adverse reactions.

 

Sorry to be so cold and analytical about this but there is not a single prescription drug or vaccine ever made that has been 100% free from adverse reactions in some people or even unexpected deaths.  Does that mean they should not be used at all?  Of course not!

 

Lockdowns, social distancing, and all the other measures being currently practiced are good and well, but they don't have a chance in hell of ever leading us to herd immunity. 

 

We've used these measures for over a year now, and they are having virtually no effect at truly reducing the R-Naught, especially in the most susceptible groups (people over 65, and/or with comorbidities).

 

All that these stop gap measure have really accomplished is to create an economic catastrophe that has yet to even be fully realized and will probably prove to be more devastating than the health crisis caused by the virus itself.

 

Unless you know something that most acknowledged experts don't know, VERY FAST rollouts of vaccines are the only way to deal with this pandemic, and IMO more importantly, the economic crisis that is about to unfold.

 

HERE'S THE DEAL!

 

The vaccine situation in Thailand is a disaster.  Expats will not be getting the vaccine any time soon. In the meantime, the virus is spreading uncontrollably.  Hunker down, READ, and figure out what to do.

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13 minutes ago, ExpatOK said:

 

HERE'S THE DEAL!

 

The vaccine situation in Thailand is a disaster.  Expats will not be getting the vaccine any time soon. In the meantime, the virus is spreading uncontrollably.  Hunker down, READ, and figure out what to do.

I totally agree with you that the current situation with regard to vaccine rollouts here in Thailand is a disaster.  But I don't understand what point you are trying to make.  I mean, assuming you are hunkering down and reading (as I am as well), what have you figured out to do? 

 

All I've figured out to do is remain as safe as possible (without unnecessarily locking myself away from the world) and just hope that the people in power will come to their senses and stop playing political games with our lives.  For one, just let the private hospitals procure and rollout vaccines!  That could make such a huge difference all by itself.

 

It makes no sense to me for the government to put up roadblocks to private procurement and distribution.  It sounds completely insane when you consider that every single person that is vaccinated is one less person that can spread the virus to the population as a whole.  Whether it's someone who can afford to pay or not should not make any difference at all since the entire population benefits.

Edited by WaveHunter
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2 hours ago, ExpatOK said:

 

HERE'S THE DEAL!

 

The vaccine situation in Thailand is a disaster.  Expats will not be getting the vaccine any time soon. In the meantime, the virus is spreading uncontrollably.  Hunker down, READ, and figure out what to do.

 

Personally I think the vaccine roll out in most counties is a disaster.    The current vaccines are more of a trial to see if they got it right.  I am not saying they do not work I am just saying that you can look to the countries that are questioning them and realize that while they were put out in a hurry there is still probably more that should be done with them.

 

That being said will Thailand get it under control YES and to a certain point I think they will before a lot of western countries if they do  not panic about tourism.

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1 hour ago, alant said:

for info, I didn't delete the word

Noticed you are from Chiang Mai (my former home).  Just curious to get a first hand account of how things are right now with respect to recent Covid restrictions since I've been hearing a lot of questionable talk that sounds like things are pretty depressing there right now (so sorry if that's true). 

 

So, how's life there at the moment with regard to quarenteens for those visiting from other provinces, and just daily life in general?

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Considering how robust our nightlife and entertainment industry is, I find it hard to believe we kept it in check for this long.   I'm surprised we're not the source of a multitude of new mutant strains.... yet.   

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15 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

 

Personally I think the vaccine roll out in most counties is a disaster.    The current vaccines are more of a trial to see if they got it right.  I am not saying they do not work I am just saying that you can look to the countries that are questioning them and realize that while they were put out in a hurry there is still probably more that should be done with them.

 

That being said will Thailand get it under control YES and to a certain point I think they will before a lot of western countries if they do  not panic about tourism.

You have to admit that to come up with a vaccine in just a matter of months is a remarkable, and even an unprecedented accomplishment.  It happened so quickly because this particular virus has proven to be a far more serious threat than anyone first imagined!

 

It may be true that the current vaccines have not been 100% tested, but there is not one single released drug or vaccine in history that has ever been "100% tested"

 

The question is whether or not a vaccine should be released that is not 100% tested.  Well, if it can never become 100% tested, I guess the answer should be obvious.  It's not as though due diligence has not been paid to the testing to date, and even with some serious setbacks (i.e.: J&J blood clot issues), the overall efficacy and safety seem to be excellent for the vast majority of people receiving the vaccines.

 

As cold as it sounds, "the ends justify the means".  In other words, if more people's lives are saved from the vaccine, even if some fall victim to unexpected complications attributable to the vaccine itself, then it should be rolled out as quickly as humanly possible, and with no political roadblocks.

 

As for Thailand getting the virus under control, I'm really concerned.  Historically they have handled this pandemic in a brilliant manner so far but when it comes to the vaccine rollout, I think they dropped the ball in a big way!  The worrying part of this is that it was not by accident but by design. 

 

There are a lot of highly questionable political underpinnings to the rollout delays, especially when it comes to the denial of private procurement and distribution of the vaccines by private hospitals!  Just listening to the political rhetoric surrounding the debates, it should be obvious that there is a big disconnect between the rhetoric and reality.

 

These rollout delays and restrictions just defy logic IMHO!  Hopefully that will change, and it will change QUICKLY because every day of delay increases the spread, and considering the increased transmissibility of these new Covid variants, that is a very dangerous (and irresponsible) political game that is currently playing out. 

Edited by WaveHunter
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10 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

You have to admit that to come up with a vaccine in just a matter of months is a remarkable, and even an unprecedented accomplishment.  It happened so quickly because this particular virus has proven to be a far more serious threat than anyone first imagined!

 

It may be true that the current vaccines have not been 100% tested, but there is not one single released drug or vaccine in history that has ever been "100% tested"

 

The question is whether or not a vaccine should be released that is not 100% tested.  Well, if it can never become 100% tested, I guess the answer should be obvious.

 

As cold as it sounds, "the ends justify the means".  In other words, if more people's lives are saved from the vaccine, even if some fall victim to unexpected complications attributable to the vaccine itself, then it should be used.

 

As for Thailand getting the virus under control, I'm really concerned.  Historically they have handled this pandemic in a brilliant manner so far but when it comes to the vaccine rollout, I think they dropped the ball in a big way!  The worrying part of this is that it was not by accident but by design. 

 

There are a lot of highly questionable political underpinnings to the rollout delays, especially when it comes to the denial of private procurement and distribution of the vaccines by private hospitals!  Just listening to the political rhetoric surrounding the debates, it should be obvious that there is a big disconnect between the rhetoric and reality.

 

These rollout delays and restrictions just defy logic IMHO!  Hopefully that will change, and it will change QUICKLY because every day of delay increases the spread, and considering the increased transmissibility of these new Covid variants, that is a very dangerous (and irresponsible) political game that is currently playing out. 

They did release the jabs quickly, but most are based on previous ones, using traditional methods.  The mRNA ones are brand new.  Been in development for a long time, but I'm sure without this crisis, it'd be many years before approval by the FDA.  IMHO.

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6 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Granted, without a crisis, it probably would have been years, not months in development, but the point is that we are in a true crisis right now of unprecedented proportions that most people are not even aware of.  I say this because the REAL crisis has not yet unfolded.

 

It is the resulting economic crisis of this pandemic that will dwarf the current health crisis, and that's what should be on everyone's minds.

 

Some economists estimate that the coronavirus pandemic will cost the US at least $16 trillion even if it ends by this Fall .  That tally is four times the damage done by 2008’s Great Recession, outstrips the amount spent on all the fighting — in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria — over the 19 years since 9/11.  In short, some economists consider this pandemic to be the greatest threat to prosperity and well-being the U.S. has encountered since the Great Depression!

 

Just think about how much money 16 trillion dollars really is, and also consider this is only for the US.  All of this money is not "money in the bank"  It is printed money that must be paid back at some point and it is lost productivity which can never be paid back.

 

I know that very few of us were alive during the "Great Depression" and have no idea what that was really like to live through, but I fear we're going to find out.

Spot on!!!

 

https://apnews.com/article/technology-environment-us-news-coronavirus-pandemic-health-cbcafe70b4724a7605d56d40fa294027

 

Grim view of global future offered in intelligence report

 

U.S. intelligence officials are painting a dark picture of the world’s future, writing in a report released Thursday that the coronavirus pandemic has deepened economic inequality, strained government resources and fanned nationalist sentiments.

Those assessments are included in a Global Trends report by the government’s National Intelligence Council, a document produced every four years. This year’s report is designed to help policymakers and citizens anticipate the economic, environmental, technological and demographic forces likely to shape the world through the next 20 years.

The document focuses heavily on the impact of the pandemic, calling it the “most significant, singular global disruption since World War II, with health, economic, political, and security implications that will ripple for years to come.”

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3 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Spot on!!!

 

https://apnews.com/article/technology-environment-us-news-coronavirus-pandemic-health-cbcafe70b4724a7605d56d40fa294027

 

Grim view of global future offered in intelligence report

 

U.S. intelligence officials are painting a dark picture of the world’s future, writing in a report released Thursday that the coronavirus pandemic has deepened economic inequality, strained government resources and fanned nationalist sentiments.

Those assessments are included in a Global Trends report by the government’s National Intelligence Council, a document produced every four years. This year’s report is designed to help policymakers and citizens anticipate the economic, environmental, technological and demographic forces likely to shape the world through the next 20 years.

The document focuses heavily on the impact of the pandemic, calling it the “most significant, singular global disruption since World War II, with health, economic, political, and security implications that will ripple for years to come.”

Odd....as many on here will tell you it is no worse than a bad cold or a mild dose of flu?????

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11 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Spot on!!!

 

https://apnews.com/article/technology-environment-us-news-coronavirus-pandemic-health-cbcafe70b4724a7605d56d40fa294027

 

Grim view of global future offered in intelligence report

 

U.S. intelligence officials are painting a dark picture of the world’s future, writing in a report released Thursday that the coronavirus pandemic has deepened economic inequality, strained government resources and fanned nationalist sentiments.

Those assessments are included in a Global Trends report by the government’s National Intelligence Council, a document produced every four years. This year’s report is designed to help policymakers and citizens anticipate the economic, environmental, technological and demographic forces likely to shape the world through the next 20 years.

The document focuses heavily on the impact of the pandemic, calling it the “most significant, singular global disruption since World War II, with health, economic, political, and security implications that will ripple for years to come.”

Who could have imagined such a dire scenario just 15 months ago?  We need strong and decisive political leaders right now who are more concerned with solving problems than playing silly political games and spewing self serving rhetoric!

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17 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Not by the rich though..........certainly not in the UK.

Yeah, I guess it's usually true that the "rich get richer and the poor get poorer" in major economic crisis' but who knows...this crisis could rewrite the books.

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8 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Who could have imagined such a dire scenario just 15 months ago?  We need strong and decisive political leaders right now who are more concerned with solving problems than playing silly political games and spewing self serving rhetoric!

Are we talking Thailand or the UK?

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Just now, WaveHunter said:

Yeah, I guess it's usually true that the "rich get richer and the poor get poorer" in major economic crisis' but who knows...this crisis could rewrite the books.

UK have already blocked changes to the personal allowance which will hit the poorest disproportionately ......no mention of windfall taxes, closing loop holes, going after tax evaders........NI will be the next hike for both PAYE and self-employed.

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33 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Are we talking Thailand or the UK?

Everywhere in the world...IMHO.  The dark clouds are on the horizon, and very few politicians seem to be acknowledging how serious the situation really is.  All the partisan and self-serving bickering and rhetoric are merely deflections from what's really important, and an insult to the public's intelligence.

 

I think it's just time for them to stop playing games and recognize their real job is to respect and serve the needs of their constituents...not the other way around.  At least in my own country, the United States, the term "We the People" should not just be an empty, meaningless catch-phrase.  It should count for something.

 

Sorry for the rant but I can barely watch the news anymore without losing temper.

 

I do want to add however that I still have a lot of faith in Thailand to "do the right thing".  With the exception of the vaccine rollout, Thai officials have acted brilliantly throughout the entire pandemic IMHO.  During this pandemic, there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be. ????

 

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