Not necessary to seal country
PM: Not necessary to seal country
BANGKOK: — It is not yet necessary to seal the country to control the spread of H1N1 flu, as recommended by Chulalongkorn Hospital doctors, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Wednesday.
However, the matter will be raised on Thursday when the cabinet meeting will consider further action such as closures of tuition schools and internet shops from which the flu was said to have spread.
The Public Health Ministry on Wednesday reported 290 addition cases of H1N1 flu, bringing up the total to 2,718 with 11 deaths.
Mr Abhisit said the government will try to keep close watch on those infected to prevent more deaths.
A committee had been set up especially to take care of four flu patients who were seriously sick, he added.
INFLUENZA 2009
Health experts tell people to avoid public places
BANGKOK: — As the type-A (H1N1) virus spreads and claims more victims, the chorus to halt all forms of public life seems to be growing more strident.
“The transmission rate of the new flu virus from humans to humans will be drastically decreased if people across the country, including patients with flu-like symptoms, stay home and do not participate in any social gathering for two weeks,” said Dr Tippawan Nagchinta, a health expert from the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Tippawan, who is a consultant from the CDC to the Field Epidemiology Training Programme, urged the government to tell people to avoid crowded places in order to slow down the increase in the H1N1 virus’ fatality and infection rates.
She was speaking after a meeting with top-level health officers and experts from the country’s leading medical schools in Bangkok at the Public Health Ministry.
If the government shuts down public spaces where people meet and hang out, including schools, cinemas and theatres, morbidity would immediately decrease, she said.
This lesson has already been borne out in the US, where infections among students were reduced rapidly after the CDC ordered some schools, where infected cases were found, to stop operating for two weeks, she said.
If the government could not ban all public areas, it should pick those places with the most cases, she said.
Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart also said he personally believes it was now time to call off all classes to control the spread of the 2009 flu.
“The suspension should last two to four weeks during which a major clean-up operation would be conducted,” he said.
“After that, the schools can resume classes and arrange make-up sessions later.”
Sanan chairs the committee dealing with the disease. He also thought about promoting the use of facemasks.
“The Public Health Ministry plans to allocate Bt10 million for purchasing face masks,” he said.
“All Cabinet members will wear face masks at their meeting to lead by example.”
Sanan plans to seek Bt70 million from the Cabinet |today for public campaigns on how to guard against the pandemic.
Former public health minister Suchai Charoenratana-|kul also advised the govern-ment to close all schools for one week.
“All entertainment events should be withheld during the same period, too,” he said.
The new flu is a real threat because its death toll here is the highest in Asia and the sixth highest in the world.
The government should also be cautious about the use of antiviral vaccine for the H1N1 flu, he said.
“Any rush may bring unwanted deaths and paralysis,” he said.
435 Bangkok schools closed July 15-19
BANGKOK: — The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has ordered closed all of its 435 schools, 200 nurseries and 13 occupational training centres for five days from July 15 to 19 to prevent the spread of the A/H1N1 flu.
M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, the BMA governor, said after a meeting of the city administrators on Tuesday that the BMA will concentrate on campaigning for the people to wear a protective mask, especially at a crowded place.
The BMA will distribute 2 million masks to the people at various crowded locations such as at the BTS electric train stations and Hua Lampong railway station. Bangkok MPs and city councilors will be asked to distribute 10,000 masks each to the people in their constituencies, he said.
Billboards to campaign for the people to wear a mask and wash their hands will be put up at various corners of the city starting Tuesday. All community radios will also be asked to join the campaign.
The BMA also plans to close all of its school on Aug 10-11 to allow officials concerned to conduct a major clean up of the schools five days from August 8 to 12. However, this can be changed if the cabinet makes a resolution for schools to close for a clean up before this period.