News Forum - The tale of two Covids – the world diverges

[Thaiger]

OPINION There are two Covid conversations going on at the same time, depending where you live in the world. In one Covid universe, countries are lowering restrictions, reopening borders, letting their citizens walk around with out face masks and, generally, get on with things. In the parallel Covid universe, countries are gingerly re-opening their borders but still with restrictions, expensive insurances for arriving travellers, local community restrictions and, in Thailand’s case, alcohol curfews. Part of the divergence in approach is simply timing. The Omicron variant of Covid, far more transmissible but less dangerous, kicked off in the US and Europe […]

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[Mongo]

Interesting and does draw some good comparisons but there's so much more to the story.  Personal debt in the west, example USA has plunged to decades lows, jobs are everywhere and the economy is also running strong, however; your spot on, ending all this will be painful for sure.   In Asia, due to the lack of support as noted in the article, personal debt is at its all time peak (massive), especially here in Thailand .  

Theres certainly no panaciea anywhere.

[riclag]

It should all come down to this !

The world should never forget where this came from.  Should have a international investigation without any negative influence from the WHO .

[King Cotton]

3 hours ago, Thaiger said:

OPINION There are two Covid conversations going on at the same time, depending where you live in the world. In one Covid universe, countries are lowering restrictions, reopening borders, letting their citizens walk around with out face masks and, generally, get on with things. In the parallel Covid universe, countries are gingerly re-opening their borders but still with restrictions, expensive insurances for arriving travellers, local community restrictions and, in Thailand’s case, alcohol curfews. Part of the divergence in approach is simply timing. The Omicron variant of Covid, far more transmissible but less dangerous, kicked off in the US and Europe […]

The story The tale of two Covids – the world diverges as seen on Thaiger News.

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Thanks, @Thaiger . . . for once, I can claim to have read and enjoyed a TN opinion piece and from start to finish  -  forum GOLD . . . almost  !

[JJJ]

While Thailand’s test & go is growing requirements, Singapore is now ditching PCR test on arrival for a self administered ATK.

The test & go & come again system has failed as badly as the sandbox. End the madness now.  

[Pi_Tim]

What about pollution measurement on arrival ??

Since 3 days, some parts of (formerly) Bangkok are scoring above 150 !!

How many are getting complications from pollution ?? and could have survive from Covid ?

 

[Soulchkn]

This is a worldwide health emergency, NOT a worldwide competition in which country is handling Covid better or worse, and or the way they're moving forward with their recovery process!... Period!!

[DonnoAus]

11 hours ago, JJJ said:

While Thailand’s test & go is growing requirements, Singapore is now ditching PCR test on arrival for a self administered ATK.

The test & go & come again system has failed as badly as the sandbox. End the madness now.  

Where did you read this information about Singapore's change? I need to transit through there but I couldn't find anything about it. 

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

42 minutes ago, DonnoAus said:

Where did you read this information about Singapore's change? I need to transit through there but I couldn't find anything about it. 

From The Straits Times.

VTL travellers will no longer need to take an on-arrival polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. This will be replaced by a supervised self-swab ART at a testing centre. The test must be taken within 24 hours of their arrival in Singapore.

If you are transitting through Singapore, and not entering the country, the restrictions will not apply to you.

 

[Manu]

1 hour ago, Soulchkn said:

This is a worldwide health emergency, NOT a worldwide competition in which country is handling Covid better or worse, and or the way they're moving forward with their recovery process!... Period!!

This "was" a worldwide emergency, it is not (and has not been for a while) anymore. Countries that choose to keep it that way are doing so for political reasons that has nothing to do anymore with health. Period!!

[Paulw]

13 hours ago, riclag said:

It should all come down to this !

The world should never forget where this came from.  Should have a international investigation without any negative influence from the WHO .

That is very true, it was really only Australia that wanted to push for a real investigation into Wuhan and the virus and China reacted by imposing import restrictions & difficulties for Australian producers. We now know that China was very aware of the virus in September 2019 when the Wuhan Military games were held there, they covered it up with threats and oppression to their citizens until finally telling the world in January 2020. They should be held accountable for what they have knowingly caused the rest of the planet!!!

[ExpatPattaya]

12 hours ago, Pi_Tim said:

What about pollution measurement on arrival ??

Since 3 days, some parts of (formerly) Bangkok are scoring above 150 !!

How many are getting complications from pollution ?? and could have survive from Covid ?

Of course the 9.7 Million ICE cars, motorbikes, and buses in Bangkok burning fossil fuels at street level have nothing to do with breathing complications from pollution, it is the smoke from burning crops in the atmosphere that are always the culprit... 555

[Soidog]

13 minutes ago, Manu said:

This "was" a worldwide emergency, it is not (and has not been for a while) anymore. Countries that choose to keep it that way are doing so for political reasons that has nothing to do anymore with health. Period!!

It certainly feels that way. How Thailand can continue with its entry restrictions and absurd variations of policy within the country is odd, even for Thailand. Daily deaths are now around 20-30. This compares with 60-70 daily road deaths. We are not going to remove Covid from the planet anytime soon. The 20-30 deaths per day in Thailand is something they simply need to accept and try to offset it by improving in other areas of health & safety. One upside of opening up the economy will be less suicides and deaths resulting from stress. Possibly by more than what Covid currently is killing. 

[JJJ]

1 hour ago, Lawyers_Guns_and_Money said:

From The Straits Times.

VTL travellers will no longer need to take an on-arrival polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. This will be replaced by a supervised self-swab ART at a testing centre. The test must be taken within 24 hours of their arrival in Singapore.

If you are transitting through Singapore, and not entering the country, the restrictions will not apply to you.

Yup. This is correct. I got an email about it as I had applied for VTL entry into Singapore next week. A very easy process that was immediately approved based on the QR code. 

This is my third time coming back on Test & Go and the system is getting progressively worse.  

[JJJ]

2 hours ago, DonnoAus said:

Where did you read this information about Singapore's change? I need to transit through there but I couldn't find anything about it. 

According the Singapore Airlines site: “From 22 February 2022, travelers will not be required to take a pre-departure test to transit through Singapore”

[Donald]

13 hours ago, Pi_Tim said:

What about pollution measurement on arrival ??

Since 3 days, some parts of (formerly) Bangkok are scoring above 150 !!

How many are getting complications from pollution ?? and could have survive from Covid ?

Don't try to make a sensible comment. After two years of scare mongering and government and media induced hysteria people no longer think rationally. The amount of deaths caused by the Covid hysteria will far outweigh those that might have died because of complications due to Covid 19. Serious diseases like cancer that where not  diagnosed because of the "only Covid" medical emergency, suicides, children that have been deprived for two years of having a normal childhood and education, billions of people worldwide that have lost their livelihood and many that have fallen into abject poverty.

[Poolie]

6 minutes ago, Donald said:

Don't try to make a sensible comment. After two years of scare mongering and government and media induced hysteria people no longer think rationally. The amount of deaths caused by the Covid hysteria will far outweigh those that might have died because of complications due to Covid 19. Serious diseases like cancer that where not  diagnosed because of the "only Covid" medical emergency, suicides, children that have been deprived for two years of having a normal childhood and education, billions of people worldwide that have lost their livelihood and many that have fallen into abject poverty.

Hyperbole.

[LoongFred]

Thailand's approach has been pragmatic. There are changes as conditions change but so far they've done a great job. Covid is on the rise again and hopefully peaking. This isn't the time to relax entry rules unnecessarily and to make logical decisions.  Tourists may not agree, but safety first. 

[Donald]

3 hours ago, Poolie said:

Hyperbole.

I suppose it is supposed to be a fancy term for exaggerated. Well it is not. The majority of people affected live in the poorest countries on earth living on a day to day subsistence. I happen to live in one and the misery caused by useless lockdowns and other restrictions is huge, and if you bother to look around in Thailand you can see for yourself,unless of course you live in the bubble of blessed ignorance. And billions is indeed what I meant.

[Poolie]

30 minutes ago, Donald said:

I suppose it is supposed to be a fancy term for exaggerated. Well it is not. The majority of people affected live in the poorest countries on earth living on a day to day subsistence. I happen to live in one and the misery caused by useless lockdowns and other restrictions is huge, and if you bother to look around in Thailand you can see for yourself,unless of course you live in the bubble of blessed ignorance. And billions is indeed what I meant.

OK, duly noted.

Name them.