Light at the end of the tunnel?

[Old git]

I should be in Thailand now - my routine of two decades standing rudely disrupted for a second season.

But I'm getting very optimistic that we really are on the final furlong with this wretched bug now.

The Omicron cycle, as experienced by South Africa, seems to last about six weeks, primarily mopping up those who have previously escaped infection. It's also clear that the Covid 'machine' is shutting down in many countries. Large parts of Canada are actively discouraging testing, India's official case numbers are being dismissed as a joke, and from my own correspondence, Omicron appears to be much more advanced in Thailand than the official data indicates. Here in the UK, a senior government medical officer has stepped down - rats and ships come to mind. Although not yet conceded by the UK government, the complete failure of the vaccines to stem the tide of Omicron is evident to all, and demand for vaccination has almost vanished.

We're about two thirds through the Omicron cycle in the UK - Thailand is perhaps one third way through. Many countries appear to have their case numbers cresting right now.

I'm hoping that in the immediate aftermath, governments around the world will be embarrassed by the ultimate failure of the lockdowns and vaccination campaigns, and will want to consign all the accumulated paraphernalia and reminders of Covid to the bin as soon as possible. Quarantines, mask mandates, vaccination 'passports' etc - will, I suspect, be binned in very short order.

How soon? Next month? Possible - but March/April looks much more likely. I want to return to a land of smiles where those smiles can be seen again..

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[Nirish guy]

Although not yet conceded by the UK government, the complete failure of the vaccines to stem the tide of Omicron is evident to all..

For clarity - no one, ever, said that being vaccinated would stop you getting Omicron, vaccination was merely to reduce the effects and that as well as Omicron being less aggressive seems to have worked, hence why 90% of the patients in ICU wards in the UK and UN vaccinated.

Can we imagine just for a second what NHS numbers would have looked like if Omicron HAD of been as or more aggressive than the Delta variant, the NHS would have been overrun for sure ! So, thank goodness for vaccines I say ( and Omicrom not being as aggressive as it appears we dodged a bullet there ( well so far anyway until the next time perhaps :-(.

[pong]

I am not too optimistic. remember how long it took for the Thai (govmt.) to realise that after vaccination people could be admitted in relative safety-to close that door as a knee-reflex ASAP when this omicron came to light? However I too wished it would be earlier, I expect it will take just a few more monthes for them to realise what you describe here. OR maybe untill they have incented their own money-spinning vaccine special for this and oblige any visitor to take it at Swampy.........??

[goji]

The vaccines reduce the incidence rate for severe COVID.

The UK has one of the highest vaccination rates and once almost everyone has been vaccinated, the rate of vaccination will slow down, because there is hardly anyone else left to do.
Also, the Westminster government is in the process of demonstrating how to deal with COVID in 2022. Almost no restrictions and rely on vaccines to keep the hospitalisation rate down. Numbers with COVID are already falling, so the policy is working..

The Thai government is still stuck with a mindset suitable for COVID in 2020. I guess they will catch up eventually.

[bkkguy]

of course, in the worst-case scenario, the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train with the next variant to show its spike somewhere among the teeming masses, one that proves to be both more transmissible AND more virulent than Omicron and blows all our hopes and dreams out of the water for yet another year

while my glass may be suffering from being too much less than half-full, I don't think the fat lady is anywhere near singing yet, and the Omicron wave passing its peak and COVID becoming endemic may not be quite the saviour that many people, including many politicians, seem to think it will be!

[Jellybean]

Copies of posts #2 and #4, together with posts mainly relating to the Covid situation in the UK, have been moved to the Everything Else forum and given the new title, Covid cases, vaccination rates, masks and Omicron, particularly in the UK.

To contribute to the new topic, please click on the following link:
https://sawatdeenetwork.com/v4/showt...arly-in-the-UK

[Brad the Impala]

The UK has one of the highest vaccination rates and once almost everyone has been vaccinated.

The UK had one of the highest vaccine rates in the early days. The effectiveness of the UK vaccine drive waned, undermined by the feckless government. The UK are now just average in proportion of population vaccinated.

https://www.sortiraparis.com/news/co...ountry/lang/en

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...s-tracker.html

[StevieWonders]

The UK had one of the highest vaccine rates in the early days. The effectiveness of the UK vaccine drive waned, undermined by the feckless government. The UK are now just average in proportion of population vaccinated.

https://www.sortiraparis.com/news/co...ountry/lang/en

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...s-tracker.html

I do so agree, Brad, people must be discouraged from taking responsibility for themselves and rely solely on their government before they act

[dinagam]

.....

[Oliver2]

Taking responsibility for themselves is fine, as long as it doesn't involve threatening the welfare, health and even lives of fellow citizens. it is reasonable for society to expect that those who are dangerous - drunk drivers, mask/vaccine refuses, for example- to be restrained. After all, we don't leave it up to drivers to decide whether they drink alcohol. nor (in most countries) swagger about with guns.