China's Wuhan shuts down transport as global alarm mounts over virus spread - Page 26 - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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Provision of the two UN HDI indicators other than GNP.
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#15068919
Atlantis wrote:
If it can spread in Singapore, then it can spread in Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia. Well, perhaps Indonesians are immune because they pray to god, that's at least what the health minister claims. :hmm:


Or because Singapore is a developed city with a lot of man-made advanced structures with air-conditioning, although this still doesn't explain why Jakarta is Scot-free.
#15068929
Or because Singapore is a developed city with a lot of man-made advanced structures with air-conditioning, although this still doesn't explain why Jakarta is Scot-free.


Jakarta is over 90 f. every day. Singapore not far behind it.

My suspicion is that this disease is much older than we have been led to believe.
#15068972
So I asked at the local pharmacist (drug store, if you are American) about face masks and, sure enough, they had none in stock. No big deal since those masks aren’t much use anyway. I have three left in my medical cabinet. I had a few for the purpose of wearing them to the doctor’s clinic in case I had an infection disease, so I don’t get any old geezers in the waiting room sick. That is about all they are good for. Reducing the chance of infecting someone else once you are already sick.
#15068985
Drlee wrote:My suspicion is that this disease is much older than we have been led to believe.


If you mean by that patient zero. That hasn't changed. That's November or December in Wuhan.

If you mean presence outside China, it could be earlier by a week or two. The problem is rather that it spreads much faster and easier than anything we have seen. If it's airborne it can be infectious over 10 meters and in different rooms.

In Italy, hospitals refused to test people with symptoms that hadn't been to China even if they had close contacts with people returning from China.

It's complacency of the authorities that's to blame. If it is assume that a common flu is worse, why bother testing?

There are several reports from China that patients are reinfected after they recovered. That either means they didn't fully recover, even though the China use strict criteria, or it means there is no immunity or immunity doesn't last long.

We are on auto-pilot for a full-blown pandemic.
#15068987
foxdemon wrote:So I asked at the local pharmacist (drug store, if you are American) about face masks and, sure enough, they had none in stock.


They have been out off stock for a month even in countries that still haven't got a single case yet. Where I live, the Chinese diaspora has bought up the entire stock.

No big deal since those masks aren’t much use anyway.


That's the attitude that got Japanese officials on the Diamond Princess infected. There are different types of masks which provide different degrees of protection. In most cases, the N95 masks are sufficient. If you want total protection you need a hazmat suit and follow CDC procedure.

Even if a mask doesn't stop every single virus, it reduces virus loads which improves you chances. Why do you think so many doctors got infected? They get a full virus load from the patient sitting in front of them. The Chinese whistleblower who died was an ophthalmologist who got it from his clients when he tested their eye-sight.

Edit: if it comes to the worst, you can make your own masks. There are instructions on the internet. I think it's important to select a material that's dense enough to stop most viruses but not too dense so as not to make breathing difficult.
Last edited by Atlantis on 22 Feb 2020 10:18, edited 1 time in total.
#15068988
They're working on it...

Coronavirus COVID-19 vaccine days away from animal testing, Queensland researchers believe
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-22/ ... s/11991456

Thailand has had only 1 new case.
15 people have been sent home, after being treated.
20 remain in the hospital.
No fatalities.

It's not the pandemic that some people make it out to be. It's still nasty, mind you.
#15068990
@Godstud, if I lived in Thailand, I would be worried because of the number of Chinese visiting the country and the cavalier attitude towards the virus infection. The official figures are far too low. My guess is that many people with symptoms just take flu medicine from the pharmacy without getting tested. That's alright as long as you are young. For the elderly or people with chronic conditions, that could be a death sentence. A respiratory disease is not a nice way to go.
#15068991
@Atlantis I’m only talking about the surgical masks. I have three left. I will save them for going to the doctor if I get an infectious respiratory disease. It is more about protecting others with those masks. It will help to reduce the spread.

N95 and googles will help more. But supplies are limited and distribution should be rationed. Top priority is health workers, then pregnant women, then old people. Some must be reserved for security personnel if you expect panic. People like me would be a fair way done the priority list. It can’t be helped. Most of those masks are made in China these days.

I will look up homemade masks. I guess it is better than nothing. But I work at the city centre in an office building. Other workers there travel from the Gold Coast. The train they catch also serves the international airport. Any global pandemic will come straight into my work place.
#15069000
Godstud wrote:@Atlantis Thailand was one of the first countries to stop receiving flights from China. They have a top notch medical system here, as well. Your assumptions are based on what, exactly?


Is that top notch medical system enjoyed by the well-healed and expats or does it extend to the rural poor and slum dwellers?

Did they track and quarantine all the people that used the taxi of the infected driver?

Is there a flight ban from China? Even if there is, it was imposed after thousands of Chinese came in, including from Wuhan.

It's been more than 20 years since I have been to Thailand, but I wonder if things could have changed that much. The first thing our business partner told us during a business lunch was that "we are an unruly people."
#15069004
Atlantis wrote:Is that top notch medical system enjoyed by the well-healed and expats or does it extend to the rural poor and slum dwellers?
:roll: It is universal healthcare. A Thai person having a heart attack and going to the hospital will have a fee lower than the price of a bowl of noodles(30 baht... $1 USD).

Atlantis wrote:Did they track and quarantine all the people that used the taxi of the infected driver?
Given only 1 new case of Coronavirus, what do you think? Why are you making ridiculous assumptions?

Atlantis wrote:Is there a flight ban from China?
No flight have been allowed to or from China, in weeks. They were among the first to shut the borders. Prior to the incident, I am sure people from China travelled here. :roll:

Atlantis wrote:It's been more than 20 years since I have been to Thailand, but I wonder if things could have changed that much.
It's like day and night, Atlantis. Thailand is not a 3rd world country. It is a developing country with less poverty than the USA, much better quality of life, exceptionally good healthcare, and upward mobility. Charities like Worldvision do not even operate here, anymore.

Atlantis wrote:The first thing our business partner told us during a business lunch was that "we are an unruly people."
I asked my wife( She is Thai) if Thais are "unruly". She said, "No.", so there you have it. :D
#15069005
@Godstud, taxis are a vector for spreading the virus. That's been seen in a number of places. Infections won't be recorded if they have no symptoms, but they can still infect others. The only way to find out is to track and quarantine all contact persons.

Considering that the virus can spread via feces, urine, contact and air, I don't see how you can prevent the spread in a place like this even if according to you they have "top-notch medial services."

Image

I'm quite sure that thousands flew to Thailand from China and Wuhan after the virus spread. If you don't even know when the travel ban was imposed, you can't say there are no imported infections.

What's true for the wife is not necessarily true the population in general. I know of people who married a Thai because they can't cope with Western women. But look at the political protests in Thailand. That gives you an idea of what I mean.

Even the WHO is getting cold feet:

Last edited by Atlantis on 22 Feb 2020 11:46, edited 1 time in total.
#15069014
@Godstud At this point it doesn’t matter if the authorities stop flights from China. The virus is already spreading in a number of countries. Japan, both Koreas, Singapore, Iran, Italy. No doubt there are more unknown clusters around the world. Containment failed for two reasons: the relevant authorities (ie: Chinese provincial administrators) failed to act quickly enough at the vital time; secondly, the infectiousness is simply too high.
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