News Forum - First Omicron strain reported in Thailand, Test & Go traveller tests positive

[Rangers]

3 hours ago, tsh said:

The extent to which some of the people on here are hysterically pro-lockdown is really quite something.

It's quite incredible isn't it. Despite the fact lockdowns destroy people's mental health, destroy businesses, the economy and delay cancer treatments. 

[MrNovax]

 

 

[MrNovax]

10 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

I get all the health reasons for another shut-down and/or reinstating the quarantine, and it is hard to argue against it.

Its super easy to argue against it, i dont know how one could argue for more lockdowns or quarantines.  It has been tried and failed by just about any objective measure,  Success of these policies can only be measured by their ability to solve the problem.

On the other hand, many areas of the world have gotten back to normal and are doing every bit as well as those areas that persist with these policies.  This weekend i went to a sporting event with 50k people, have been going out to eat regularly, living life as normal and i assure you nobody is dropping in the streets.  

 

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

Thailand's hospital beds are going to be pretty quickly filled with asymptomatic and vaccinated people.

[JamesE]

10 hours ago, Jason said:

In reality there are about 500+ cases around the world

Have a look at South Africa. Their cases are going through the roof and it's mostly Omicron. Thousands per day. The UK predicts that O will be the prevalent strain there in weeks. One thing to consider in light of the "all the cases so far have been sniffles" narrative. Is that serious illness and death trail cases by 2 to 4 weeks. The next couple of weeks will show whether O is the feared mutation or if it's the hoped for common cold mutation. In South Africa, again, hospitalizations have increased by a factor of four over the past month. That's a concern.

[El_Trauco]

2 hours ago, Stardust said:

The 11500 are the new variant cases, the total was 16 000

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/03/africa/south-africa-omicron-cases-surge-intl/index.html

Done on the 3rd reported on the 4th. So your saying the original numbers you quoted were wrong? Fine, good of you to acknowledge an error. You wish to revise the numbers again just post them. 

[Rangers]

6 minutes ago, JamesE said:

Have a look at South Africa. Their cases are going through the roof and it's mostly Omicron. Thousands per day. The UK predicts that O will be the prevalent strain there in weeks. One thing to consider in light of the "all the cases so far have been sniffles" narrative. Is that serious illness and death trail cases by 2 to 4 weeks. The next couple of weeks will show whether O is the feared mutation or if it's the hoped for common cold mutation. In South Africa, again, hospitalizations have increased by a factor of four over the past month. That's a concern.

So you think Omicron just appeared 2 weeks ago? Let's be honest, it's probably been here for months without any of us knowing. You've got to wonder how long can the media get away with this "we don't know enough about this horrific new variant". It's scaremongering and tiresome. 

[BIGGLES]

11 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

I get all the health reasons for another shut-down and/or reinstating the quarantine, and it is hard to argue against it.

However, here's another question for you all...

Can Thailand afford to shut down/close up again? Especially just before High Season?

I have already seen business owners calling back staff, manically cleaning out hotels, etc. which have been shut for 2 years and desperately trying to let people know that they are open. I know of many Isaan people who have borrowed money against their family homes/farms in order to return to Phuket/Pattaya/Krabi/Samui/Etc. and re-take employment. I know of restaurateurs who have started to negotiate supply contracts for food and beverage in anticipation of a high tourism season. I know of travel agents who have spent cash they don't have on promoting the re-opening.

Pretty much every single Thai person involved in the tourism business that I know is in debt and has structured their debt to be re-paid at the end of High Season/Songkran next year. If there is no high season... then what?

You simply can't flip a switch and turn it all off again, so if there is no high season, what happens to all those people?

The question must be answered.

Regrettably, they will loose out. The government will get away with it too, as they will say that they are protecting the public from more foreign imported disease or some such nonsense. This Omicro n variant is likely to become the dominant strain according to many European governments.

[BIGGLES]

11 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

I can't argue your point on the previous consideration shown, but there will be an election next year. Yes, it'll unlikely be completely 'Free and Fair', but a certain legitimacy IS required, and the generals would get slaughtered; without economic growth they have nothing.

Don't forget the 'Arab Spring" started with a fruit seller not having a good year. You may not recall that, but you can bet the Generals do.

Reall?

Take a look next door in Myanmar. Military Juntas don't give a s..t !

[vlad]

7 hours ago, El_Trauco said:

Total worldwide: 223 (as of 3, December, WHO) If that's what you consider "plenty".

Breakdown vax/unvaxed:  Unreported as aggregate

Early to predict virulence as the most severe outcomes (hospitalization, ICU, intubation, death) are lagging indicators.

You may be out over your skis on this one.

El_Trauco im sorry but in our news this Evening in the UK Omicron numbers were 336 cases confirmed.

[LuckyStrike]

Omicron in 38 countries and no deaths. Time to LOCKDOWN and PANIC. #SCIENCE

 

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/no-omicron-deaths-yet-as-new-covid-19-variant-spreads-in-38-countries-world-health-organization-2636600

[JamesE]

3 hours ago, Rangers said:

So you think Omicron just appeared 2 weeks ago? Let's be honest, it's probably been here for months without any of us knowing. You've got to wonder how long can the media get away with this "we don't know enough about this horrific new variant". It's scaremongering and tiresome. 

Two weeks? No, and I didn't say it did.

Yes it probably has been out there for months but without enough cases for it to show up in the random genomic sampling that's being done.

And your last point, is nonsense. As I said: "The next couple of weeks will show whether O is the feared mutation or if it's the hoped for common cold mutation." We really don't know which way this is going to go and if prudent responses for a few weeks are "scaremongering and tiresome" then let's be afraid and bored. And wait to see what happens.

[El_Trauco]

3 hours ago, vlad said:

El_Trauco im sorry but in our news this Evening in the UK Omicron numbers were 336 cases confirmed.

Thanks for the update. As days change the numbers will change. I guess we will see what happens over the next week or so. Hopefully not an explosion in case numbers vis-a-vis South Africa.

[Stardust]

6 hours ago, El_Trauco said:

Done on the 3rd reported on the 4th. So your saying the original numbers you quoted were wrong? Fine, good of you to acknowledge an error. You wish to revise the numbers again just post them. 

Read then you understand it! I said 11500 are the detected cases with the new variant!

[Stonker]

14 hours ago, El_Trauco said:

You do realize the BBC article states the total new COVID infections (aggregate)  without Omicron broken out. It does later mention 70% being Omicron, but no actual number is given. 

That's the problem, @El_Trauco .

@Stardust evidently doesn't "realize" that the BBC article doesn't say what he keeps saying it does, and neither does anything else.

Unfortunately it's in English !

 

[vlad]

EL_Trauco you stated you used Reuters as the company that issued the figure of 223 worldwide cases as of 3rd Dec yet on the 4th we had 336 just in the UK so if i was you id use a different agency for your figures.

[Stonker]

5 hours ago, Stardust said:

Read then you understand it! I said 11500 are the detected cases with the new variant!

Yes, that's what you said, several times - but that's not what the article says !!!

[Rangers]

8 hours ago, JamesE said:

Two weeks? No, and I didn't say it did.

Yes it probably has been out there for months but without enough cases for it to show up in the random genomic sampling that's being done.

And your last point, is nonsense. As I said: "The next couple of weeks will show whether O is the feared mutation or if it's the hoped for common cold mutation." We really don't know which way this is going to go and if prudent responses for a few weeks are "scaremongering and tiresome" then let's be afraid and bored. And wait to see what happens.

So you admit it's probably been here for months and yet there's still been zero deaths?  so why the need for  all the fear? You need to stop watching the news, It's bad for your health.