News Forum - Phuket relaxes checkpoint requirements to help tourists and health officials

[HolyCowCm]

15 hours ago, JamesE said:

So then it will never be safe to go anywhere ever again?

"Very easy" is not entirely true. What is true is that the virus load on initial infection is comparable between the vaxxed and unvaxxed. This is because the initial infection occurs in the upper respiratory tract where the vaccine isn't. Once the virus spreads, the virus loads decrease dramatically. https://healthsciences.arizona.edu/newsroom/news-releases/2021/covid-19-vaccine-reduces-severity-length-viral-load-those-who-still-get (that link was just the first return in a long list.)

So, yes, it is possible but statistically unlikely for a vaccinated individual to spread the virus. This is why, despite vaccination status, all the other mitigation measures are still important.

Hi JamesE, although Covid -19 delta is the same one and all virus, the USA is a different case and ballgame there, so I don't really think it should be compared to what's happening over here.

We are dealing with the Delta variant, and the other thing is the numbers put out each day here just don't ever seem to add up to matchable data for numbers of jabs to vaccines available or supposedly coming in, to the positive number of people to the deaths. It just looks very inconsistent. As for double jabbed vaccinated folk being a low to non risk of spreading the virus to unvaccinated folk, I will tend to stay on the course of the thinking that is incorrect.

Viral loads have been checked in nose and throat cavity of vaccinated and unvaccinated under studies and they can and have measured pretty close to the same in too many of tested instances. So this is the part that is the worry for the unvaccinated folk here, as the vaccinated people out in public pick up the virus somewhere and it will hitch hike in that vaccinated person with out any problems. So how about when doing a pit stop on the road and going to a bathroom? Or in a convenience store? Or just getting gas and paying? Or????? It is everywhere not just held to certain place or location and easily spread. And this goes for anyone domestic or international traveler out of quarantine who happened to unfortunately pick it up and transport it. More now and ever for the domestic folk especially coming up to CM from Bangkok and bypassing checkpoints with side roads, that is if the check point is actually checking because it appears mainly to be PR at certain times.

But yes, they did see that viral loads in vaccinated people will or can be lower and their window of transmission is cut in half the period to one week, but do you consider this a non alarm and no reason to worry and act upon? And do you think just because it may be a not high viral load and at a medium or low level that is cannot wreak havoc or cause harm? 

Yes the vaccines do help from getting very ill, help for faster turn around recovery, and can or do limit the viral load, but it is also apparent that nothing of any trial and study is conclusive except they feel the unvaccinated people are the biggest spreaders from wide collected data - so far! This may also be probably because vaccinated people care more and take more safety precautions? Yes and no and I would not take that bet..

So many variables, but if you ask me, if the virus hitch hikes in a nasal or throat cavity of a vaccinated person, do you know where that person picked it up from and how potentially loaded it is or how their vaccinated immune system is handling it? Doesn't it depend on how healthy someone is at some point for how ill they will get even if they are jabbed? So did it come from a low viral vaccinated person or from an unvaccinated person who the virus got a deep hold of? Because in any case that delta virus in his or her throat or nose cavity is just as dangerous if it went went deeper into the lungs. I don't trust people to not pick or blow their nose and not touch something, or cough, or yawn, or what ever way puts it out there, and as far as I am concerned, vaccinated people are still a great danger to the unvaccinated. 

So even though I am just jabbed twice with Pfizer, my family is still not as so so many in CM and Thailand are far from being vaccinated. So being unselfish and not acting privileged and special, I will continue to do what I can to be safe for me and for all others until the idiots finally stop the smoke screen fibbing and vaccinate the people with what they want of their choice..

Many are on a waiting list waiting for their turn for what they choose and signed up to have as in Moderna, and others waiting for Pfizer as don't trust the other 2. A big amount of folk do not want to be railroaded into the Chinese CCP Thai invested junk and then forced with the AZ that has its skeletons and worry.  Even recently I read the later is still low on the pole for over all effectiveness in the 60%-ish range after 2 jabs. But now lots of Thai people are worried and at the end of their rope and caving in, but still cannot get a jab of anything. At least in the USA you have J&J and Moderna and Pfizer choices.

So no, it is not about not opening up, it is not time and not nearly enough people are vaccinated. The USA is a different story than here as not so many anti jabbers, just anti jabbing crap they don't want or cannot get is the big disappointment. Look at Phuket. That is not a success by any means. It is not at all good there anyway you look at it. An ignorant failure is more like it. 

 

 

[HolyCowCm]

7 hours ago, Yinn said:

Ok, I understand. Sorry my English confused. 
I think nowhere have 90% vaccinated? But open already. 
Be better 100% vaccinated in the world. But the loons will refuse. 

No problem. Thought you read it a bit off. If they say 90% for any place here then it is cannot be taken serious.

Nice word - Loons. Hahaha

The loons in power here forcing the 2 unpopular vaccines on the good people. Hahahaha. That works very well in that sentence too.

[JamesE]

6 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

Viral loads have been checked in nose and throat cavity of vaccinated and unvaccinated under studies and they can and have measured pretty close to the same in too many of tested instances.

This is true for the initial infection. The vaccines operate in the circulatory system not the pharyngeal epithelial cells which is where the infection takes hold. However, those loads drop off rapidly in the vaccinated population making them less likely to transmit it onward. There is also work developing vaccines that address this shortcoming and will be in the form of a nasal spray.

Many of the things being discussed here are still brand new and are being actively studied so the "real" science is still in the future. There are some trends and indications though. 1) Vaccinated people can get infected and may transmit the virus onward. Initial data doesn't quantify the probability of this happening, although based on hospitalized populations it's pretty low. 2) Some vaccines work better than others. So take what you can get and immediately start looking for a better one. 3) Masks and social distancing work regardless of vaccination status. Each - the silly DMTTH plan in Phuket plus vaccines - cut your probability of catching and transmitting the virus (or any respiratory virus for that matter). None of them alone is a silver bullet but together they work pretty well.

What this means is that if you are vaccinated, masked, keep a respectable distance from others and go into a shop where an unvaccinated person is working, the risk of either getting or transmitting the virus is very very low. But people (collectively) are stupid and they have proven it over and over during the past two years. But get vaxxed as soon as you can, be considerate of others who may or may not be vaxxed, and be aware when a crowd starts to form that that's not where you want to be.