Face Masks, Gel etc

[ggobkk]

It’s Pride Week in Pattaya. 

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, reader said:

 Just a few of usual kind in the past 24 hours:

PATTAYA: An elderly German man was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri on Saturday morning. The body of the 75-year-old man, whose name was withheld pending notification of relatives, was found inside a room at a resort in tambon Na Klua, said Bang Lamung police.

CHON BURI: The body of a man of unknown nationality has been found on the ground near a luxury hotel building in Pattaya, with multiple broken bones consistent with a fall from a great height. The body of the man, aged around 50, was found near the entrance of the Grand Centre Point Hotel on Pattaya Sai Song Road i

perhaps not that usual but I'd rather say sadly  'more common"

[Guest]

13 hours ago, vinapu said:

and Pattaya seems to be virus free, am I right ?

I would say the situation in Pattaya is completely unknown.

As far as I can tell, from reading the Bangkok Post, Thai government briefings only provide selected information about the location of cases.   I doubt the Bangkok Post is removing that detail.

For instance, in the latest batch of 7 cases declared, one was reported to have been on the rescue flight from Wuhan and is supposed to be in hospital somewhere in Chonburi. No information about where the remaining 6 cases are.

 4 were Chinese tourists and 3 were Thai.    That's as far as the report goes.  

By comparison, the Chinese communist regime seems to publish location information.

[Boy69]

 I am in BKK at the moment although some put  masks everything seems usual , today Silom road closed and had been converted to a walking street at night and near Iconsiam there was a spectacle fireworks show. It seems the number of tourists is down at the moment boys are extremely flexible with prices at Grindr , I had wonderful sessions with black young twink from Madagascar and with Vietnamese youngish with godless body I couldn't take my eyes out of him sadly he declined LT trip with me to Pattaya such a beauty can make much more money on ST sessions I guess but he suggested we meet again when I will come back to BKK.

[macaroni21]

I've just read that the Thai government has banned the export of face masks. And the above-mentioned story about the minister distributing face masks seems to put the official imprimatur on wearing one to protect against the Covid-19 virus. 

But I've noticed that both the Australian and Singapore health authorities are saying wearing a mask is only recommended when you are sick, in order to protect others. Otherwise, it gives a false sense of security. More important is frequent hand-washing and being careful what you touch.

Australian advice: https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov

Quote

 

We do not recommend surgical masks for healthy members of the public. A surgical mask will not protect you against the virus.

Everyone should practise good hygiene to protect against infections. Good hygiene includes:

washing your hands often with soap and water
using a tissue and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
avoiding close contact with others, such as touching

 

 

Singapore advice: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-coronavirus-hygiene-clean-surfaces-handphones-moh-12430220

Quote

“The best form of advice I can give you to defend yourself is, in fact, washing your hands regularly and frequently with soap and water, and also to be mindful of the things that you commonly touch,” he said..... “It is not wearing a mask that’s important, it’s hand washing,” he added.

The World Health Organisation's advice is similar: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

Top of the list is "washing your hands frequently". There is no mention of face masks unless one is coughing or sneezing.

Mack

[spoon]

11 minutes ago, macaroni21 said:

I've just read that the Thai government has banned the export of face masks. And the above-mentioned story about the minister distributing face masks seems to put the official imprimatur on wearing one to protect against the Covid-19 virus. 

But I've noticed that both the Australian and Singapore health authorities are saying wearing a mask is only recommended when you are sick, in order to protect others. Otherwise, it gives a false sense of security. More important is frequent hand-washing and being careful what you touch.

Australian advice: https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov

 

Singapore advice: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-coronavirus-hygiene-clean-surfaces-handphones-moh-12430220

The World Health Organisation's advice is similar: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

Top of the list is "washing your hands frequently". There is no mention of face masks unless one is coughing or sneezing.

Mack

And, if one is wearing mask correctly, especially the more reliable N95 mask, it will make breathing difficult, and not practical to be used for a long period unless you are in constant exposure to person with the virus, like medical staff. Ive seen too many people did not observe proper handling of the masks too, like touching the masks with their hands, frequently removing the mask from mouth and put them underneath the face (Chin area) reusing the mask (surgical mask) multiple times, storing them in their bags etc in between usage. While this might not have much impact if you are healthty, if you are sick, improper mask wearing will still put others at risk. So i get it why people still want to wear mask even if they arent sick but i also agree frequent washing is much more important. Adding mask into that is additional protection if and only if they observe correct way to wear and dispose of them.

Given that Singapore now has few cases of local transmission without known close contact to infected person, i do believe they needed to start adding mask as additional protection, though first thing to reduce is being in public gatherings and only go out for when needed. That link from the singapore gov advising only the sick should wear it is before they change the alert to orange. It is to avoid people who dont really need one to hoard the limited supply of mask so that those in need can actually have access to the masks. 

[DivineMadman]

We keep re-hashing the same WHO and CDC sites since the 1st page of this thread.  

There are articles out there pointing out that different countries have been taking different positions on the need for masks for the general public.  Go figure.  One article said that one country was requiring everyone using mass transit to wear a mask.  Singapore was on the other end of the spectrum.

The Thai minister’s point was that the farang tourists coming through Thailand may have been in contact with someone and communicable - the “we don’t know where they’ve been” point.  (At least that was one of his points). Hence the conclusion that since there is some concern that people can have the virus and be communicable with few symptoms, etc., they should wear masks in the high risk public spaces.   Thailand hasn’t yet closed its borders, and it is a crossroads country (at least BKK is), and that impacts decision-making.  

I think the health officials will point out that people often don’t use their masks properly, but just as often don’t wash their hands as thoroughly and as they should.  Or use hand sanitizing gel properly.  Do it.  Do it right.

the Thai health minister’s sorry-not sorry statement included statements about racism.  And even my feeble facebook feed had some Thai folk saying they were proud of the health minister.  So I think in Thailand, at least, the courteous thing to do is wear a mask in the main transit centers, etc.  

 

[Guest]

26 minutes ago, DivineMadman said:

So I think in Thailand, at least, the courteous thing to do is wear a mask in the main transit centers, etc. 

I wear a mask either if the majority of Thais are wearing one, or if I judge it appropriate, considering the virus risk or the PM2.5 risk.

In Pattaya, I estimate fewer than 10% of Thais are wearing masks.   No cases have been reported in Pattaya, although of course Thailand is not telling us where the cases are located.  The air quality has improved recently (PM2.5).

I use alcohol hand sanitiser a lot.    Beware, alcohol can damage the finish on wooden furniture, as I just discovered.   No amount of cleaning seems to fix that, but my finest Lidl sunscreen spray seems to have done the trick.   

Rather than insulting tourists for not wearing unwrapped face masks, perhaps the Thai authorities should take some more effective measures, such as quarantining all arrivals from China for 14 days.    Other nations should seriously look at the same measures.  The case reported in London arrived from China a few days ago.  

[Jasper]

Yet, the super spreader in UK was a British guy who traveled to Singapore and unwittingly infected 11 people.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/coronavirus-superspreader-steve-walsh-discharged-from-hospital-11932275

[spoon]

Today, the confirmed cased jumped 15k new cases, and death jumped to more than 200+ in a day though mainly due to change in acceptable method to determine the confirmed status. Particularly in wuhan, those who have symptom of pnenomia from clinical diagnoses and lesion found from ct scan is enough to announce as confirmed covid-19 so they can immediately put in specialised wards and receive treatment. I do think this is a great move by China gov. Now new cases there wont need to wait for lab testing. Wish they'd done this sooner though.

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, z909 said:

    Beware, alcohol can damage the finish on wooden furniture,

and your liver too

[reader]

Extracted From South China Morning Post

Coronavirus: cleaning your phone more effective than wearing a face mask

• Singapore’s health ministry said there is no evidence the coronavirus is airborne, and that face masks are not the most effective protection
• Smartphones are among the dirtiest items people own, and are often held up to users’ eyes, noses and lips – key points for coronavirus infection

Smartphones are among the dirtiest items a person owns, due to how often they are handled, and the fact that many people bring their phones to the toilet, where faecal matter often collects.

Worse, these phones are often held up to our eyes, nose and lips – key points where the coronavirus infects the human body.

Various scientific studies have found that smartphones contain more germs than toilet seats – meaning a quick and immediate way to limit contamination is to avoid taking your phone to the toilet.

According to a 2018 study by four researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, sanitising phones with a UV smartphone sanitiser device was the most effective method of killing germs. sanitiser device was the most effective method of killing germs.

 

Using an alcohol solution was also effective, the study said, adding that the crevice between phones and phone cases contained significantly more bacteria than the screen.
 

 

 

 

[anddy]

I have cleaned my phone with alcohol spray more or less every day (often multiple times a day) for many years simply because I don't like it when it's covered in a greasy film of fingerprints and what not. Alcohol is the most effective in removing that. Now serves an additional purpose, as it turns out  

[JackR]

There hasn't been any more confirmed cases in Thailand in 4 days. I guess this is positive news

[JackR]

I jinxed it. D'oh

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/coronavirus-thailand-reports-one-new-case-a-medical-personnel-brings-total-to-34

[Jasper]

I believe this new screening measure includes US passengers transit in Japan.

 

“Inbound passengers from Japan and Singapore will have to undergo the same screening procedures as those from China,” he said. “Incoming planes from these three countries will stop at separated bays at the FEC building, while passengers will have to go through two thermal scanners – at the FEC gates and immigration checkpoint.”

Suthirawat said passengers showing symptoms similar to those of the new coronavirus pneumonia such as fever and coughing will be quarantined at Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute.

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30382325

[macaroni21]

Latest news is that 2 elderly persons have died in Iran from Covid-19. See https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/die-coronavirus-iran-fatalities-middle-east-200219171007605.html.

There has recently been a cluster of respiratory diseases in Qom, but from the suddenness of this latest announcement, it appears that the doctors didn't think of testing patients for Covid-19 until recently. Even in the case of these two deceased, the Al Jazeera report says that "the two people had tested positive for the virus in preliminary results" suggesting that they didn't have time to do confirmatory tests before they died.

This therefore also means that the patients might not have been fully isolated when they were ill.

This supports my suspicion that there are probably outbreaks going on in places which aren't reported because no tests are being done, or no tests available. Indonesia comes to mind. The Shan states north of Chiangmai is another area. The borders between China and the Shan states, and between Shan states and Thailand are quite porous (drug smuggling is proof of that).

Mack.

 

[reader]

From Khaosod English 

THAILAND’S WORST-CASE PLAN FOR CORONAVIRUS REVEALED
 

BANGKOK — Military field hospitals and closure of facilities like schools and prisons will be introduced if the coronavirus epidemic took a turn for the worse, a government source said Thursday. 

The contingency plan for an uncontrollable spread of the virus was approved by the Cabinet during its Tuesday’s meeting, according to the source. The plan was drafted in case the infection rate reaches as high as 1,000 cases per day and results in deaths, a scenario named by the officials as “Phase 3.”

Measures for “Phase 3” outbreak include setting up military field hospitals in schools, ordering people to work from home, postponing or canceling large public gatherings, and designating emergency disaster zones in areas that are particularly affected. 

Crowded facilities like schools, prisons, and military bases will also be shut down in order to contain the virus under the plan. 

Thailand currently reports 35 cases of coronavirus infections so far, 17 of which have already recovered and were discharged from hospital, health officials said. 

Another government meeting will be held to lay down preparation plans for the disease, whose official name is Covid-19, on Feb. 21.

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2020/02/20/thailands-worst-case-plan-for-coronavirus-revealed/

[macaroni21]

20 minutes ago, reader said:

closure of facilities like schools and prisons

Closing prisons? Where will the prisoners -- y'know, the robbers, thieves, murderers and drug traffickers -- go?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, macaroni21 said:

Closing prisons? Where will the prisoners -- y'know, the robbers, thieves, murderers and drug traffickers -- go?

In Asia, I suspect they will continue to be locked up and an increased risk of infection will be one of the consequences of being in prison.   Taking steps to prevent infection getting into the prison seems to be an obvious step.   Once it's there, game over.   Particularly with the overcrowding in Thai prisons.

[anddy]

 

[spoon]

They dont even ban chinese national going there, why would they ban singaporean?

[jason1975]

45 minutes ago, anddy said:

 

I have been dragging my feet whether to go to Bangkok next month. But this is a sign!

[anddy]

17 minutes ago, spoon said:

They dont even ban chinese national going there, why would they ban singaporean?

exactly. But apparently the hysterical sg rumour mill had rumours to that effect, prompting the statement. 

8 minutes ago, jason1975 said:

I have been dragging my feet whether to go to Bangkok next month. But this is a sign!

really no reason not to go (unless there were a dramatic change in the situation). Everything is pretty normal here. If you're concerned about going to BKK, then by the same token you should be concerned about staying in Sg!!

[Guest]

58 minutes ago, jason1975 said:

I have been dragging my feet whether to go to Bangkok next month. But this is a sign!

Assuming all data is correct:

Singapore has had 86 cases with a population of 5.6 million

Thailand has had 35 cases with a population of 69 million

 

I would say Singapore has had a much higher declared infection rate, so is perhaps more risky ?    

Of course, what you do in each location probably influences your risk as well.  Perhaps staying at home in Singapore would be lower risk than going clubbing in Bangkok.

Also, the death rate for your age range is fairly low, so probability of infection x probability of death is low.   Even more so, if we note that the death rate is much lower outside Hubei province.

If it were me, I would book the trip, but go for a refundable hotel booking.