Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Covid-19 death toll exceeds 100,000 in the UK, government mulls quarantine for travellers

With the Covid-19 death toll exceeding 100,000 in the United Kingdom, the British government is considering a mandatory hotel quarantine for visitors entering the country. A quarantine system is considered to be an effective way to limit virus transmission and stop new coronavirus variants from spreading into the country.
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke with senior officials in a meeting yesterday, saying that the government will consider tighter border measures. UK citizens and residents arriving from most of southern Africa and South America, as well as Portugal, will have to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days at their own expense.
Currently, people arriving in the UK from abroad must show the Covid-19 test results, while direct flights from South Africa, Brazil, and Portugal are banned to prevent the spreading of new variants in the Kingdom.
Hotel quarantine measures have been used in Australia, New Zealand, China, India, and Singapore, but the disease control practice has not been widely used in Europe.
In Thailand, those who enter the country from abroad must quarantine for 14 days at either a state quarantine facility or at an alternative quarantine hotel. Travellers must also be tested for Covid-19 before their flight to Thailand and tested at least another 2 times before they are released from quarantine.
SOURCE: Associated Press
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Thai Health Minister to chair panel on travel bubbles, vaccine passports

Thailand’s Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, will chair a meeting on Monday, in which a vaccine passport scheme and potential travel bubbles will be discussed. Anutin says those who’ve been inoculated against Covid-19 will be issued with a book to confirm their vaccination. It’s hoped this will make international travel easier, as well as boosting the public’s confidence and helping life return to some kind of normality.
“The Public Health Ministry is making preparations to bring life back to normal, restore businesses and revive the Thai economy.”
A number of groups and industry representatives have added their voices to growing calls for a vaccine passport policy. The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking is urging the government to implement the scheme without further delay, while also calling for private companies in Thailand to be allowed purchase and distribute vaccines.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is also pushing for a vaccine passport policy, while the Tourism Ministry has urged the Health Ministry to approve one. Meanwhile the PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha has asked the Foreign Ministry to carry out a study on vaccine passports, adding that the jury is still out as to their effectiveness. They also have their critics, primarily among rights’ groups and doctors, who argue that there is not yet enough evidence that vaccination prevents transmission.
At Monday’s meeting of the National Communicable Diseases Committee, the Anutin-led panel will also discuss the idea of travel bubbles. Thailand has been considering entering into reciprocal travel arrangements with countries with a high take-up of Covid-19 vaccines.
Meanwhile, Anutin says the public must continue with the practice of mask-wearing, noting that the number of Thais doing so has recently slipped. He says that recent data shows the number of people wearing masks has dropped below 80%, compared to 90% last month.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Hospital in northern Thailand closes to visitors after 2 patients test positive for Covid-19

A hospital in the northern province of Tak has had to shut its doors to visitors after 2 patients treated at the facility subsequently tested positive for Covid-19. Nation Thailand reports that Mae Sot Hospital is now closed to visitors until Monday.
It’s understood that 19 staff members have had contact with 2 patients who tested positive for the virus. Hospital director Thawatchai Setsuppana says the closure is to facilitate a deep clean of the facility and confirmed that a number of medical workers are self-isolating.
“3 doctors, 11 nurses and 5 patient assistants have been ordered to undergo 14-day quarantine.”
Officials are now questioning both patients, in an effort to trace others who may have had contact with them. Tak province is on the border with Myanmar, which has had 142,000 cases of the virus, with 3,200 deaths.
Meanwhile, in the northern province of Sukothai, the provincial Public Health Office has confirmed that a Thai national who returned from working at a casino in Myanmar has also tested positive for Covid-19. It’s understood the woman developed symptoms prior to entering Thailand at the border town of Mae Sot on March 1, before taking a bus to her home in order to attend her grandfather’s funeral.
The provincial health office has issued a statement to confirm the timeline of the woman’s movements. It’s understood 17 people had contact with the woman, with 7 of those considered “high-risk”.
“On March 2, she took a Covid-19 test at Sukhothai Hospital and went shopping in Muang district before heading home. She was admitted to Ban Dan Lan Hoi Hospital on March 3 after her test came back positive.”
It is unclear how the woman managed to evade the mandatory 14-day quarantine. Border officials have stepped up patrols in recent weeks, amid fears that Burmese nationals fleeing the violence in Myanmar may attempt to cross illegally into Thailand, bypassing health checks and quarantine.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Tourism
Thailand to introduce “area quarantine” for international visitors from April

From next month, foreign visitors to the Kingdom will be able to experience the delights of “area quarantine”, after the government confirmed the scheme for 5 provinces. Following a meeting with the Public Health Ministry, the Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed that Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri (Pattaya), and Surat Thani (Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan) have been chosen to pilot the scheme.
Foreign tourists opting for area quarantine will be required to remain in their hotel rooms for the first 3 days of their stay. They will be tested for Covid-19 and, if negative after 3 days, will be allowed to leave their room and roam freely around the resort for the remainder of their 14-day quarantine. At the end of the 14-day period, they will once again be tested for the virus and, if negative, allowed to travel around the quarantine area.
In order to avail of the scheme, tourists will still need to fulfil the other requirements for travel, including obtaining a Certificate of Entry, a negative Covid-19 test 72 hours prior to travel, and adequate health insurance. Nation Thailand reports that the area quarantine plan will be run by 29 travel agencies, under TAT supervision.
The area quarantine scheme comes as the TAT hails the success of the first “golf quarantine” scheme, which operates in a similar manner. Travellers from countries considered “low-risk” for Covid-19 can come to Thailand for a golf holiday at approved golf resorts in the Kingdom. Conditions are similar to those attached to area quarantine, with the golfers having to spend the first 3 days in their room, test negative for the virus, and then enjoy free rein of the resort, with a few rounds of golf thrown in.
Thailand’s economy has been decimated by the fallout from the pandemic, in particular the loss of international tourism. The current mandatory 14-day quarantine period is seen as the biggest hurdle to overcome in order to re-ignite the sector. In 2019, international tourism contributed 2 trillion baht out of a total 3.01 trillion baht tourism trade. In the same year, tourism made up 17% of Thailand’s GDP.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Issan John
Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 3:37 pm
It’s a national disgrace, as is a PM who has refused to acknowledge that he could have done things any differently.
“Experts reacted with dismay and sorrow. “This time last year, it would be almost impossible to believe that a wealthy island nation with a universal healthcare system would go on to have one of the highest death tolls from the emerging coronavirus pandemic,” said Richard Murray, chief executive of the King’s Fund.
“Yet the UK has now passed the grim milestone of 100,000 coronavirus deaths, with many more likely to follow.””
That’s more than twice as many as died in the Blitz during WW2, and more than died in the Great Plague of 1665-66, the Aids epidemic, and every terror attack and war that the UK has been involved in for the last 75 years, since WW2, combined.
Great Britain is an island, FFS, with some of the best doctors and scientists in the world, but it prioritised off licences as an essential service during lockdown but not dentists, and the PM defended “the ancient, inalienable right of free-born people of the United Kingdom to go to the pub” and to celebrate Christmas while over 100,000 people died, so far, instead.
Inexcusable and unforgivable.
Cultural marxism
Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 7:19 pm
Nigel farage should of been prime minister not this globalist boris johnson
dispensed
Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 9:47 am
Were you born yesterday?
More people have always from infectious diseases than from war. This has been in true is almost every war up to WW2.
Your request to turn the world into N Korea has been rejected. Covid is here to stay. You’ll just have to man up and take a small risk, kiddo. It might help if you turn off the news media. It’s clearly twisted your perspective on things.
Issan John
Friday, January 29, 2021 at 3:06 am
I have no problem with “taking a risk” where I’m the one taking the risk, with my life.
Where I have a problem, though, is forcing others to take a risk for me, with their lives.
That’s where we differ, and evidently always will.
gosport
Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 10:06 am
Are you kidding? “Great Britain is an island, FFS, with some of the best doctors and scientists in the world”. Since WW2, The Great Britain has lost all its great scientists and doctors and all its great superpowerful manufatures. no more great already. Margaret time was dead cat bounce. The Great Britain was great only at times with true kings or queens in position.
Cultural marxism
Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 7:26 pm
Next Winter.If “Flu like symptoms” are again renamed “Covid symptoms” then we will be under restrictions once again. Where has Flu gone this Winter?
Johnny Dee
Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 8:08 pm
Isaac John we all have our differences with you from time to time but I couldn’t have put it any better. It is a national disgrace from our government and officials with what’s happened in the UK. Everything that’s has been done has been way too slow and very badly managed from day one. But there is no one to answer to Boris and Handkock and his merry men are an absolute disgrace they’ve let our British people down FACT!!
Bigsleazypappa
Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 8:11 pm
It’s a national disgrace what’s happened Handcock,Boris and their merry men in any other business would have been well down the road a long time ago. Isaan John I couldn’t have put it any better I for once salute you sir ?
London Al
Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 5:11 pm
100,000 deaths, all the fault of doctors, scientists, and the general public, not a single resignation or admission of guilt from a government who have got almost every aspect of the process wrong, personally I think it falls under the category of manslaughter, either way history will record Boris Johnson is the worst PM the UK has ever had.
Issan John
Friday, January 29, 2021 at 3:00 am
I’m relieved at least some commenting agree.
It’s nothing to do with politics – I’ve disagreed with left and right over many issues over the last few decades, particularly where the politicians on both sides have cost good people their lives unnecessarily, but there’s simply no excuse here.
Although I can understand it, I’ve never been “proud” to be British because I don’t think it’s justifiable to be proud (or ashamed) of an accident of birth, whether it’s race, colour, gender, nationality, sexual preference, or anything else, but for the first time in my life I’m ashamed of what my country’s done.