Stay in, stay safe

Prasit Wanapa, Dean of Siriraj Hospital's Faculty of Medicine, has posted a "Most Urgent" request on his FaceBook page, warning that medical staff caring for Covid-19 patients might get overwhelmed unless people leave home only if absolutely necessary. We should all comply.

A study in Wuhan, China last year found those with no history of Covid-19 did not infect others. The implication was that doctors could focus only on those with a history of Covid-19, lessening the need for a lockdown.

But "Dr Prasit recalls that when the very first patient tested positive for Covid-19 on Jan 12, there was little public anxiety about it and it was assumed to have a mortality rate of just 0.2-0.5%".

One of the first shocks was his team's discovery that 80% of infected people were asymptomatic.

That's why the medical community advised as early as January last year against all group activities, as they began to notice an increasing number of infections.

This means that it's vital that even asymptomatic people be wary of infecting others -- including apparently well people like you and me. Stay home so your loved ones may be safe.

Burin Kantabutra

What's the hold-up?

Great news from Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, who said the production of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine, which is being made locally, will be sped up and hopefully given free of charge to Thais. Regrettably, there is no time line here.

On the other hand, India, a developing country which is also producing and approving its own vaccine, will roll it out within weeks.

There is no way the Covid virus can be brought under control other than by administering a vaccine.

To avoid a total meltdown of the economy and avoid more deaths, it is essential that we are kept informed as to when a programme of mass inoculations can be expected. Within weeks would be a start.

What is the hold-up?

Brian M Corrigan

Sad to be American

It is both sad and unbelievable to read that United States senators plan to block Mr Biden's presidential certification (BP, Jan 4). While many Thai senators may be corrupt and self-serving, Republican senators look set to drag the US into yet deeper depths of mediocrity, a laughing stock for the whole world to witness. Oh, the price Americans must pay for the privilege of being called Americans. It must be difficult for many to hold their heads high and say, "Yes, I'm an American!" without some embarrassment.

Jack Gilead

Not a bad idea

Veera Prateepchaikul yesterday proposed business operators who suffer from the latest virus lockdown should look into the possibility of taking legal action against the Royal Thai Police. I would also propose we include the Royal Thai Army for not protecting the borders properly.

On the face of it, that means taxpayers have to pay for the damage done by the police and army. No, confiscate the property of responsible army and police personnel, all the way up to the commanders. As I understand, they sit on assets worth hundreds of millions, some on billions of baht.

Karl Reichstetter
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04 Jan 2021 04 Jan 2021
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