Plan to import Covid patients

[reader]

From The Thaiger

Hospital director proposes importing overseas Covid-19 patients for treatment

With the Covid-19 situation in Thailand apparently well in hand (there have been no locally transmitted cases for well over a month), a hospital director in Bangkok is proposing flying in patients from abroad for treatment at his hospital. The director of Mongkutwattana Hospital is considering medical flights to bring international Covid-19 cases to the hospital for treatment, in an effort to stimulate the economy.

In a Facebook post, Dr Rienthong Nanna said flights would carry 60 passengers and be specially adapted to prevent the spread of the coronavirus outside the cabin. Under his proposal, the hospital would act as a state quarantine facility, caring for foreign patients until they are certified virus-free and allowed to travel in Thailand as tourists.

The proposal has the support of several clinics that treat international patients. Accommodation providers who want to collaborate with the hospital to prepare medical flights and state quarantine are invited to contact the director of Mongkutwattana Hospital’s office.

The Ministry of Public Health Ministry has not announced whether Thailand will consider accepting Covid-19 patients from overseas.

[vinapu]

I wonder whet will be next. Importing foreign dead bodies to bury them in Thailand and stimulate Thai coffin industry?

[spoon]

15 minutes ago, vinapu said:

I wonder whet will be next. Importing foreign dead bodies to bury them in Thailand and stimulate Thai coffin industry?

Thinking about the logistic itself is a nightmare. All people involved in transporting the patients, who are obviously sick, will have to be in full PPE, the whole time they were with the patient. Putting 60 covid 19 patient that is sick enough to require hospitalization in a plane to travel for several hours, they need to consider their medication, food, and the very likely possibility that some patient requiring oxygen or ventilator midflight. Its simply easier to just have the patient stay put in their own country. 

Would be interesting to see though if anyone really went for this.

[speedoo1]

  Who would pay such presumably large amounts to travel to and get treated in Thailand?

When patients are admitted to hospital with Covid-19 they are no longer in a state to be thinking about going elsewhere for treatment, let alone travelling abroad.

[spoon]

18 minutes ago, speedoo1 said:

  Who would pay such presumably large amounts to travel to and get treated in Thailand?

When patients are admitted to hospital with Covid-19 they are no longer in a state to be thinking about going elsewhere for treatment, let alone travelling abroad.

I guess they are thinking of the case where local hospital is overwhelm like what happened previously in italy, where all icu bed and occupied and hospital has been declining admission. But again, it is only practical if its life or death situation as i agree with yoh the logistic is a nightmare

[GWMinUS]

With the large number of new Covid infections in the USA, our neighbor State of Arizona is sending patients to hospitals in New Mexico. They are being transported by Ambulance. I do not know how far they must travel. Not a Airline Flight or Helicopter.

But cases are also rising here in New Mexico. My Partner and I are at home and dutifully wearing a face mask outside and in stores. GOD WILL IT PLEASE END!!