News Forum - Omicron subvariant likely to be a dominant strain in Thailand

[Thaiger]

There is a chance that the new Covid 19 sub variants, BA.4 and BA.5, will likely dominate new Thailand Covid infections, as they have already in other countries. However, they have not yet caused serious problems in the Land of Smiles. The latest sub-variants have been characterised by the increase transmissibility and immune escape – such “immune escapes” could mean more people who have had Covid-19 remain susceptible to reinfection, and that proven vaccines may, at some point, need an update.Omicron Thailand Thailand has now confirmed around 1,000 people have tested positive to the new BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants, with […]

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[dmacarelli]

It barely matters and it is likely a very good thing. Each subsequent variant seems to be getting weaker and weaker. Let's celebrate that. 

Glad we are able to dialogue about covid here. Thaivisa has essentially shut down any covid related conversation that is not strictly party line narrative. They have become increasingly cowardly and authoritarian. Kind of like their CCP overlords. They do not represent democracy or free speech. May free speech continue to flourish here. 

[Richard1944]

Am curious about all those new strains of covid that keep popping up,  yet we are still to see scientific medical evidence up to prove those new strains, without that proof it should  be considered hearsay 

Edited July 4, 2022 by Richard1944

[palooka]

And one of these new sub variants was brought to Thailand by no other than its glorious Health Minister.

Anut you lead again with your generosity in sharing this new sub variant with us.

[dmacarelli]

20 hours ago, palooka said:

And one of these new sub variants was brought to Thailand by no other than its glorious Health Minister.

Anut you lead again with your generosity in sharing this new sub variant with us.

Not an issue. Each variant seems to be weaker and weaker. This is not the Zombie Apocalypse. 

[Cabra]

22 hours ago, dmacarelli said:

It barely matters and it is likely a very good thing. Each subsequent variant seems to be getting weaker and weaker. Let's celebrate that.

Maybe not as deadly (at least not yet, baring firther mutantions - which is not guaranteed). But what I'm reading indicates BA.4 and BA.5 are more infectious than previous Covid variants, and are better able to evade immunity from vaccines and previous infections. So we’re likely to see a rise in case numbers. But as you suggest, if those cases are mild there in nothing to be overly concerned about at the moment

[dmacarelli]

On 7/5/2022 at 4:25 PM, Cabra said:

Maybe not as deadly (at least not yet, baring firther mutantions - which is not guaranteed). But what I'm reading indicates BA.4 and BA.5 are more infectious than previous Covid variants, and are better able to evade immunity from vaccines and previous infections. So we’re likely to see a rise in case numbers. But as you suggest, if those cases are mild there in nothing to be overly concerned about at the moment

There are an average of 563,000 deaths annually here. There have been a total of 30,700 deaths attributed to covid since March 2020. A period when about 1.3 million would have died of something. How many of the Covid deaths were over 70? How many had other health issues? How many are dying now? 

While I have sympathy for the families who lost people from covid, is there at least a possibility that there are other factors at stake here, and the narrative is a bit skewed and compromised by multiple interests? 

So far, there is nothing to indicate the new variants are particularly lethal. Nothing. 

Edited July 6, 2022 by dmacarelli

[Chatogaster]

31 minutes ago, dmacarelli said:

So far, there is nothing to indicate the new variants are particularly lethal. Nothing. 

 

True, but lethality by itself is hardly relevant.

From an organizational (not personal) point of view, it's never foremost about individuals dying. It's about 1) preventing a potential overload of key components of societies infrastructure (like the ability to provide healthcare), 2) minimizing the cost of trying to maintain such services at an adequate level and 3) being favorable in the public perception of what is (not) done.

To illustrate: the main goal of e.g. road-safety campaigns or taxes on tobacco is primarily to reduce costs to society, not to save lives (that's just a bonus, albeit one that's great to use in communications).