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[Thailand]

I believe the new Harry Potter movie is arriving on Wed or Thurs, should ensure thousands of kids can avoid being herded together in the classrooms.

Very little chance of any virus being spread in the malls or movie theaters.

Another stroke of genius from the powers that shouldn't be.

BTW- can you only catch this flu in Bangkok schools?

[Crash999]

tourleadersi, on 2009-07-14 16:00:15, said:

The main concern about this one is the kill ratio that it currently appears to have. Common Flu is far more widespread for the moment, and therefore appears to kill a lot more, and like Dengue fever therefore appears to be of greater concern. The thing is that it seems that more people that catch this one are dying (some stats have it as high as 5% whilst common flu is below 1%). Therefore preventing the spread (or attempting too) is a rational step. The WHO are saying that its too late to prevent it though, so it does seem like this is a reaction after the horse has not only bolted, but has made it to the next field, mated, raised a championship winning foal and is now off to glue factory.

Where are you getting your stats from? In the UK there have been over 10,000 cases so far and it made the news a couple days ago that there was the first death of a person who didn't have a pre-existing health condition.

[MyphuketLife]

PingManDan, on 2009-07-14 15:53:58, said:

george, on 2009-07-14 14:04:49, said:

435 Bangkok schools closed July 15-19

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has ordered closed all of its 435 schools, 200 nurseries and 13 occupational training centres for five days from July 15 to 19 to prevent the spread of the A/H1N1 flu.

M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, the BMA governor, said after a meeting of the city administrators on Tuesday that the BMA will concentrate on campaigning for the people to wear a protective mask, especially at a crowded place.

The BMA will distribute 2 million masks to the people at various crowded locations such as at the BTS electric train stations and Hua Lampong railway station. Bangkok MPs and city councillors will be asked to distribute 10,000 masks each to the people in their constituencies, he said.

Billboards to campaign for the peple to wear a mask and wash their hands will be put up at various corners of the city starting Tuesday. All community radios will also be asked to join the campaign.

The BMA also plans to close all of its school on Aug 10-11 to allow officials concerned to conduct a major clean up of the schools five days from August 8 to 12. However, this can be changed if the cabinet makes a resolution for schools to close for a clean up before this period.


-- Bangkok Post 2009-07-14

Not sure, but seems like a real waste of time, closing schools for 5 days, what if anything, is that going to really accomplish. All the kids will run to shopping centers, where with the crowds there, the virus will still spread. Also as far as the masks go, they do not really do anything in the way of stopping or even slowing down infection, this is just a world run on panic with all the news media.
It is all BS.

This will make the international news circuit saying something sensationally similar to this

////
Thailand was forced to shut down all schools, training centers, and internet cafes today due to an alarming rate of new swine flu cases..... All people in Thailand have been advised to stay indoors and out of public places, otherwise they run a serious risk of catching and spreading the virus. [insert more hyperbole here]
\\\\



When this new “sensational” story breaks the international news, I wonder how many people will cancel their trips?

[Aqualogic]

You can certainly call it fear mongering if you like, but the 1918 pandemic was indeed a replica of this strain and there were 6 waves of the virus. Currently we are experiencing the 1st wave. We know that this pathogen produces Hypercytokinemia which is what will be killing the young people by the time it has fully developed. Yes the flu symptoms aren't the scary part. Check it out on Wikipedia, I'd say you'll possibly be a bit more humble afterward. Making a "what-if" statement out of H1N1 is a bit like the Thai teenagers screaming down the highway on their motorbike at 160km/h with no helmet, no care of the speed limit nor the other traffic nor the lights and sayin "I've never been injured yet - so it is surely fine!"
The last time the world experienced a full H1N1 pandemic it killed an estimated 6% of the population = abut 60 million by the time it had completed its mutation cycle (FYi all type A influenza viruses are a rapidly and constantly mutating pathogen). If it does that in the next year or so; your what-if scenario would be 360 million dead in a bout 6- 8 month time frame and most of them between 15-40 years of age. That is not a risk to be flippant or joking about, and that is why all the WHO experts are overly concerned. Listen to the experts, not the media or your next door neighbor.

[webfact]

Thailand, on 2009-07-14 09:06:42, said:

I believe the new Harry Potter movie is arriving on Wed or Thurs, should ensure thousands of kids can avoid being herded together in the classrooms.

Very little chance of any virus being spread in the malls or movie theaters.

Another stroke of genius from the powers that shouldn't be.

BTW- can you only catch this flu in Bangkok schools?

Good point! Thats what I am trying to answer myself since the closing was announced,
WHY ONLY BANGKOK?

[Enjibenji]

Crash999, on 2009-07-14 10:09:58, said:

tourleadersi, on 2009-07-14 16:00:15, said:

The main concern about this one is the kill ratio that it currently appears to have. Common Flu is far more widespread for the moment, and therefore appears to kill a lot more, and like Dengue fever therefore appears to be of greater concern. The thing is that it seems that more people that catch this one are dying (some stats have it as high as 5% whilst common flu is below 1%). Therefore preventing the spread (or attempting too) is a rational step. The WHO are saying that its too late to prevent it though, so it does seem like this is a reaction after the horse has not only bolted, but has made it to the next field, mated, raised a championship winning foal and is now off to glue factory.

Where are you getting your stats from? In the UK there have been over 10,000 cases so far and it made the news a couple days ago that there was the first death of a person who didn't have a pre-existing health condition.

more than that.

In the UK yesterday, a 6 year old girl died. Not only that... a doctor died of it too.

No underlying health problems known of.

[thaimite]

dukkha, on 2009-07-14 12:36:15, said:

Am not an epidemiologist, but wonder the effectiveness of closing schools for 5 days.... Dukkha

Very effective. Instead of mixing with a limited number of known people for 5 days the students will all head off to the shopping malls where they can mix with thousands of unknown people. That should help it spread!!

[norwayeagle]

Aqualogic, on 2009-07-14 16:11:30, said:

You can certainly call it fear mongering if you like, but the 1918 pandemic was indeed a replica of this strain and there were 6 waves of the virus. Currently we are experiencing the 1st wave. We know that this pathogen produces Hypercytokinemia which is what will be killing the young people by the time it has fully developed. Yes the flu symptoms aren't the scary part. Check it out on Wikipedia, I'd say you'll possibly be a bit more humble afterward. Making a "what-if" statement out of H1N1 is a bit like the Thai teenagers screaming down the highway on their motorbike at 160km/h with no helmet, no care of the speed limit nor the other traffic nor the lights and sayin "I've never been injured yet - so it is surely fine!"
The last time the world experienced a full H1N1 pandemic it killed an estimated 6% of the population = abut 60 million by the time it had completed its mutation cycle (FYi all type A influenza viruses are a rapidly and constantly mutating pathogen). If it does that in the next year or so; your what-if scenario would be 360 million dead in a bout 6- 8 month time frame and most of them between 15-40 years of age. That is not a risk to be flippant or joking about, and that is why all the WHO experts are overly concerned. Listen to the experts, not the media or your next door neighbor.

Yes:Well said

[whatawonderfulday]

Asian paranoia, based on unsubstantiated facts and of course a good measure of stupidity thrown in. I wonder if when they hand out these masks they are also advising them to be burnt when removed or disposed of hygenically ?

[john b good]

Thanh-BKK, on 2009-07-14 14:40:16, said:

Hi.

Stupid question. But what's all this "washing hands" do to a virus that is spread exclusively through the air, i.e. via coughing and sneezing..?? And i highly doubt that those silly masks have any effect on this virus. They can't even hold Diesel soot out, i've tried it.

Best regards.....

Thanh

It is a well proven fact that washing hands particularly after have visited the dunny is a must especially for people handling/preparing food.

BUT Thai's are very poorly disciplined when it comes to washing hands either after using the bathroom or prior to cooking food.

AND when it comes to the hand sterilising gels that are available in most other countries on the planet just try buying some in the realm. Pharmacists don't even know what you are talking about.

Thailand remains a 4th world country and will remain so for the appreciable future.

What did the bible say "forgive them for they know not what they do"

Edited by john b good, 2009-07-14 16:22:20.

[OxfordWill]

dukkha, on 2009-07-14 14:36:15, said:

Am not an epidemiologist, but wonder the effectiveness of closing schools for 5 days.... Dukkha

Whats all the winking for? Youve already admitted you have no right to an opinion on the subject (by virtue of knowing f all about it).

[animatic]

huma79, on 2009-07-14 15:53:49, said:

Where do you get your information? According to http://flutracker.rhizalabs.com/ the official count in the US is as of this moment:

United States total - 38,744 confirmed cases, 201 deaths

gunnyd, on 2009-07-14 15:13:14, said:

Back here in the US the swine flu is all but forgotten. Nobody running around wearing masks. And we border Mexico where is started.

Cases in border states:
Texas - 900 cases, 3 deaths
California - 553 cases
Arizona - 520 cases, 2 deaths
New Mexico - 97 cases

United States total - 6,552 cases, 9 deaths

Hysteria in the only pandemic going on here. The 1976 Swine Flu vaccine killed 25 US whereas the Swine Flu only claimed 1 life.

Nearly 40k case and not hardly forgotten, just no as big a scare as originally thought.
But limiting it's spread where possible is still on the screen.

Yes and 4,700+ cases in Thailand and a higher relative percentage of deaths. 16 I think, as of today.

I still dread the day a wife gets this at the market and brings it home to a husband
who caught bird flue from his chickens. If they ever combine we are in a different ball game.
Here with the regular recurrences of Bird flue this is not an inconsequential worry.

Limiting this if possible is a prudent decision considering Asia is the incubator of much virus growth.

[sangfroid]

john b good, on 2009-07-14 16:20:37, said:

Thanh-BKK, on 2009-07-14 14:40:16, said:

Hi.

Stupid question. But what's all this "washing hands" do to a virus that is spread exclusively through the air, i.e. via coughing and sneezing..?? And i highly doubt that those silly masks have any effect on this virus. They can't even hold Diesel soot out, i've tried it.

Best regards.....

Thanh

It is a well proven fact that washing hands particularly after have visited the dunny is a must especially for people handling/preparing food.

BUT Thai's are very poorly disciplined when it comes to washing hands either after using the bathroom or prior to cooking food.

AND when it comes to the hand sterilising gels that are available in most other countries on the planet just try buying some in the realm. Pharmacists don't even know what you are talking about.

Thailand remains a 4th world country and will remain so for the appreciable future.

What did the bible say "forgive them for they know not what they do"

I visited my elderly mother in her aged care centre in Australia recently. This hand sterilising gel was in every room, and on the reception counter as well. I tried to buy some in several pharmacies in Sukhumvit Rd yesterday but the pharmacists didn't know what I was talking about!

[webfact]

sangfroid, on 2009-07-14 09:30:05, said:

john b good, on 2009-07-14 16:20:37, said:

Thanh-BKK, on 2009-07-14 14:40:16, said:

Hi.

Stupid question. But what's all this "washing hands" do to a virus that is spread exclusively through the air, i.e. via coughing and sneezing..?? And i highly doubt that those silly masks have any effect on this virus. They can't even hold Diesel soot out, i've tried it.

Best regards.....

Thanh

It is a well proven fact that washing hands particularly after have visited the dunny is a must especially for people handling/preparing food.

BUT Thai's are very poorly disciplined when it comes to washing hands either after using the bathroom or prior to cooking food.

AND when it comes to the hand sterilising gels that are available in most other countries on the planet just try buying some in the realm. Pharmacists don't even know what you are talking about.

Thailand remains a 4th world country and will remain so for the appreciable future.

What did the bible say "forgive them for they know not what they do"

I visited my elderly mother in her aged care centre in Australia recently. This hand sterilising gel was in every room, and on the reception counter as well. I tried to buy some in several pharmacies in Sukhumvit Rd yesterday but the pharmacists didn't know what I was talking about!

You can buy Dettol handcream or soap but not sure that will work

[whatawonderfulday]

Just to put it into perspective there are between 25,000 and 400,000 deaths each year from common influenza. Each year around 8 million children, yes children, die from the effects of malnutrician.

If I was a cynic I could conclude that this hysteria is largly promoted by the major pharmacutical companys in order to boost their profits during this period of recession, having learnt of course from the IT Year2000 farce which again commenced during the recession at the end of the 90's which again sucked in many well educated morons with unsubstantiated hype.

Coincidence ?

So the world will come out of recession when 18 months time ? H1S1 will then be demoted down to the non headlines of common influenza and so it goes on. Just as the 8 million poor kids dying is going on because none of the main global companies can make billions in such a short space of time !

Edited by whatawonderfulday, 2009-07-14 16:35:25.

[deanosan3]

They're probably doing it for the same reason most governments are doing weird shit these days. Just to see what they can get away with.

[CHINWA]

gunnyd, on 2009-07-14 15:13:14, said:

Back here in the US the swine flu is all but forgotten. Nobody running around wearing masks. And we border Mexico where is started.

Cases in border states:
Texas - 900 cases, 3 deaths
California - 553 cases
Arizona - 520 cases, 2 deaths
New Mexico - 97 cases

United States total - 6,552 cases, 9 deaths

Hysteria in the only pandemic going on here. The 1976 Swine Flu vaccine killed 25 US whereas the Swine Flu only claimed 1 life.

This shows how well informed are the local authorities... In europe no tv station waste time talking about the flu!

[Alboy301]

londonthai, on 2009-07-14 14:36:19, said:

great, wil see my grandaughter more, while in holidays in bangkok.

she is doing great at school, doesn't need it that much - but it's not the case for the majority of kids

Maybe we should open another thread to discuss how great your grandaughter is.

[asiasurfer]

As another poster used to tell me: “This is panic Thai style!”



Don’t think these measures will do much (at the moment) to stop the virus spreading. However, it will definitely help to rapidly spread panic amongst the Thai population!

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi.

Regarding the hand soap issue, here at my office we have "Carex" liquid soap which claims to be antibacterial. At home i use the very same stuff, it is available at Tesco Lotus/Big C/Tops etc.

I wasn't aware that a flu virus (regardless if human, swine, chicken or whatsthenextanimal-flu) can survive in the open but then i am not a doctor and have never claimed to be one. I believe i did never actually have a real flu, however i get a cold pretty easily (motorbike -> rain -> wet clothes -> rest of the day in air conditioned office).

Best regards.....

Thanh

[DeathbyDurian]

Is there a list of affected schools anywhere?

The BMA website isn't very useful.

[webfact]

Hotels, on 2009-07-14 09:53:31, said:

As another poster used to tell me: “This is panic Thai style!”



Don’t think these measures will do much (at the moment) to stop the virus spreading. However, it will definitely help to rapidly spread panic amongst the Thai population!

and this is certainly as dangerous as the virus.

another poster asked: can you only catch this flu in Bangkok schools?

I am eager to know about too!

Edited by webfact, 2009-07-14 17:01:10.

[lopburi3]

I have just had two students return, one from private and other from government school here in Bangkok and they have not been informed of any such closure. This is Latphao, Bangkok.

[Ga-gai]

Ok... So here are news cuts from the European sources:

"Australia have recently placed an order for 21 million dozes of the swine flu vaccine, which will be available in This amount will make sure that every Australian can get the vaccine. September. Australia is among the hardest hit countries on the swine flu virus (A/H1N1). At this time, some 10 000 Australians have coughed the virus and 19 have so far died."

"This virus is not to be taken lightly on. Even if you get the flu and survive it, your lungs can take permanent serious damage from the decease. The swine flu virus (A/H1N1) different from the "normal" seasonal viruses that comes and goes every year. Instead it is more related to the virus that caused the Spanish Flu (H1N1) that existed between 1918 and 1919 which took between 50 - 100 millions of lives at that time."

"A face mask is not an effective protection. But it's existence may prevent the user from touching his mouth by contaminated hands and fingers and thereby catch the virus. Besides touching the mouth, the nose and eyes are also receptive to catch the virus. The nose and eyes, like the mouth, can catch the virus from someone who sneezes or cough. The best protection is to avoid to touching other people, coins, ATMs, or any other items that may have been handled by an infected person. Wash your hands and face as often as possible after spending time outside, shopping or meeting people. Wearing protective gloves as also recommended for persons who works as cashiers or in any other way exchange items between several owners."

Sources:
* Spanish Flu on Wikipedia
* Swine Flu on Wikipedia

Edited by Ga-gai, 2009-07-14 17:35:47.

[ILOOKFORWORK]

baht&sold, on 2009-07-14 15:17:52, said:

Many Thais can be forgiven for getting hysterical over swine-flu, particularly after a 2 week campaign by Puea Thai spokesmen and MP's cynically fanning the flames of flu-fear for pure political opportunism. This culminated in the reds 'helpfully' surrounding hospitals and scaring patients in the N/NE when the Health Minister was visiting. This, along with calls by some Chulalongkorn docs/quacks to 'close the borders' (?!) has all ratcheted up a hysteria-driven public outcry for the Govt to take stricter measures.

PM Abhisit wisely REFUSED to close borders of course. However, one presumes this would be Puea Thai's response??? It's unfortunate the Govt has been forced to spend valuable time and resources placating the public as fear has been cynically whipped up, instead of concentrating 100% on those in higher-risk groups (especially those with pre-existing medical conditions).

Last, some local media and websites appear to be cynically 'cashing in' on flu-fear ratings sweepstakes and it's getting a bit pathetic.

Yeah, kind of like the misnamed Democrat party spending enormous budgets in the Ministry of Information for cracking down on "lese majeste" online. Wow. Apisit is really wise. Especially when he and his cronies called that a "matter of national security".