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  • Some easing………
    • Japan may soon allow business visits from Thailand


    Business trips from Thailand and three other countries could be the first step to be negotiated as Japan plans to ease its entry ban, a Japanese government source said on Monday.

    Infections have subsided in Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand, which have strong business ties with Japan. Thailand reported only one new coronavirus case on Monday, bringing the total to 3,082.

    Lifting the ban for business visitors is being eyed as a first step and Tokyo will negotiate conditions with the four nations, according to the source.

    As of Monday, Japan had entry bans on 111 countries and regions, including the United States, most of Asia and all of Europe. The bans are in effect until the end of June.

    The first easing may take place this northern summer after the government works out details and makes arrangements with the four countries. Japan is considering allowing entry of foreigners from countries who have certification for testing negative for the virus, according to the source.

    allowing entry of foreigners from countries who have certification for testing negative for the virus. Good start another would be a 14 day quarantine: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business...-from-thailand

    Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

    Comment


      • U.S. - Nearly 26,000 nursing home COVID-19 deaths reported to feds

      A letter from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 60,000 cases of coronavirus illness among nursing home residents.

      WASHINGTON — Federal health authorities have received reports of nearly 26,000 nursing home residents dying from COVID-19, according to materials prepared for the nation’s governors. That number is partial and likely to go higher.

      A letter from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 60,000 cases of coronavirus illness among nursing home residents. A copy of the letter to governors and an accompanying chart were provided to The Associated Press.

      The toll among nursing home staffers was sobering, with more than 34,400 getting sick and nearly 450 dying from the coronavirus.

      “This data, and anecdotal reports across the country, clearly show that nursing homes have been devastated by the virus,” wrote CDC Director Robert Redfield and CMS Administrator Seema Verma to governors.

      The numbers had been promised by the end of May, but they’re not a complete picture. The letter said the data are based on reports received as of May 24 from about 80% of the nation’s 15,400 nursing homes.

      Some states with high rates of nursing home resident deaths appeared to have some of the lowest levels of response to the federal data-gathering survey, intended as a first step toward policy changes.

      CMS, which is responsible for nursing home quality standards, also told the governors it is increasing penalties for nursing homes failing to comply with longstanding infection control requirements.

      A federal watchdog report last month found a “persistent” pattern of infection control problems in nursing homes even before the coronavirus. The Government Accountability Office said that about 40% of the nursing homes inspected in each of the past two years were cited for problems with infection control and prevention.

      Although the first wave of the pandemic may be easing in much of the country, that doesn’t mean nursing homes are in any less danger. Experts say in a virus rebound they can again become the stage for tragic scenes of death and despair, as well as a risk for the broader community.

      “What is going on in a nursing home can be a barometer for where the virus is,” said Tamara Konetzka, a research professor at the University of Chicago, who specializes in long-term care issues. “You’ve got to be watching out and expecting a lot of cases in that community as well.”

      It’s widely agreed that prompt, methodical, ongoing testing of residents and staff is the key to making nursing homes safer, but a White House recommendation for states to test all residents within two weeks failed to produce desired results. A recent AP review found a patchwork of progress, with only a handful of states meeting the goal. Nationwide, about 1.4 million elderly and disabled residents live in some 15,400 facilities.

      The nursing home industry says money is one of the main obstacles to widespread testing, particularly to pay for testing of staff, who number more than 1 million people. An industry trade group, the American Health Care Association, estimates it would cost $672 million for a one-time test for all residents and staff in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. And that would not solve the problem, since public health experts recommend ongoing testing.

      Another hurdle is that many nursing homes don’t have established relationships with medical labs to quickly turn around results.

      Mark Parkinson, head of the nursing home association, says the cost of a well-designed national testing program could reach into the billions of dollars.

      “It’s very important in the next stimulus bill not to just order testing,” said Parkinson, adding that Congress needs to provide the money as well.

      The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has recommended a one-time test for all residents and staff, as well as weekly retesting of staff. Facilities should retest residents weekly until none test positive. CMS head Seema Verma says states should use “extreme caution” before reopening nursing homes to visitors.

      Some policy experts are hoping that the loss of life in nursing homes will lead state and national leaders to overhaul policies toward the industry, long a stepchild of the health care system.

      “This is not a nursing home problem; this is a health system problem,” said Terry Fulmer, president of the John A. Hartford Foundation, which works to improve care for older adults. “Every system produces the outcome it is set up for. If you set up a system where the sickest and frailest people are in locations that are forgotten about and ignored, where the staff is paid less, why should that surprise anyone?: https://chicago.suntimes.com/coronav...icare-services - https://www.usnews.com/news/health-n...ported-to-feds
      • Today’s update.

      Coronavirus Cases: 6,339,701

      Deaths: 376,193

      World population: 7,800,000,000 projection: 462,846,023 deaths

      Underreported US death count: 106,560

      Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
      it's been blown way out of proportion.
      Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

      Comment


        • 500 Thais to be allowed to return home each day from Friday

        The Defence Ministry aims to bring back more Thais stranded in other countries – from 400 a day to 500 from June 5.

        Spokesman Lt-General Kongcheep Tantawanich said that at the moment 400 Thais return home a day via three to five flights to limit the spread of Covid-19.

        However, the ministry aims to bring back home more Thai nationals as “responsible organisations have evaluated their capacity for disease control management”, he said.

        They are now preparing locations to receive and quarantine more returnees – up to 500 a day from June 5.

        This comes after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he would like to see more stranded Thais brought back home, Kongcheep said.: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/...ernal_referral
        • Thailand - One new Covid-19 death, one confirmed case in past 24 hours

        A 32-year-old male student who returned from Saudi Arabia on May 25 in a group of 39 passengers – of whom seven were infected – was also found to have contracted Covid-19. He tested negative on the first day of his state quarantine on May 25, but later became ill with 37.5 degrees Celsius fever and was found to be infected on May 31.

        The 58th Covid-19 death in Thailand was an 80-year-old man who had asthma. He went to Su-ngai Kolok Hospital in Narathiwat on April 28 for surgery. He had a history of close contact with Covid-19 patients (his daughter and son-in-law) around May 1-2. His condition worsened with lower oxygen in his blood and he had pneumonia on May 9. He entered into a coma on May 25 with acute respiratory and kidney failure and passed away yesterday at 8.40 am from Covid-19 pneumonia.

        All those in close contact with him were quarantined – 26 medical staff, three patients and 66 relatives – but all have tested negative and been cleared of infection.: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/...ernal_referral

        Originally posted by Somchai Boonporn View Post
        Perhaps a blessing in disguise for the Golden Land.
        • Early update.

        Coronavirus Cases: 6,384,205

        Deaths: 377,797

        Underreported US death count: 106,927

        Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
        it's been blown way out of proportion.
        Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

        Comment


          • Distancing and masks cut COVID-19 risk, says largest review of evidence

          Keeping at least one metre apart and wearing face masks and eye protection are the best ways to cut the risk of COVID-19 infection, according to the largest review to date of studies on coronavirus disease transmission.

          In a review that pooled evidence from 172 studies in 16 countries, researchers found frequent handwashing and good hygiene are also critical - though even all those measures combined can not give full protection.

          The findings, published in The Lancet journal on Monday, will help guide governments and health agencies, some of whom have given conflicting advice on measures, largely because of limited information about COVID-19.

          “Our findings are the first to synthesise all direct information on COVID-19, SARS, and MERS, and provide the currently best available evidence on the optimum use of these common and simple interventions to help ‘flatten the curve’”, said Holger Schünemann from McMaster University in Canada, who co-led the research.

          Current evidence suggests COVID-19 is most commonly spread by droplets, especially when people cough, and infects by entering through the eyes, nose and mouth, either directly or via contaminated surfaces.

          For this analysis, an international research team conducted a systematic review of 172 studies assessing distance measures, face masks and eye protection to prevent transmission of three diseases caused by coronaviruses - COVID-19, SARS and MERS.

          The researchers noted that the findings, while comprehensive, have some limitations for the current pandemic since most of the evidence came from studies of SARS and MERS.

          They found, however, that physical distancing of at least 1 metre lowers risk of COVID-19 transmission, and that a distance of 2 metres could be more effective. Masks and protective eye coverings may also add protective benefits, though the evidence for that was less clear cut, they added.

          Derek Chu, an assistant professor at McMaster University who co-led the work, said people should understand that “wearing a mask is not an alternative to physical distancing, eye protection or basic measures such as hand hygiene.”: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKBN2383T6
          • Today’s update.

          Coronavirus Cases: 6,447,564

          Deaths: 380,630

          World population: 7,800,000,000 Projection: 460,470,652 deaths

          Underreported US death count: 107,883

          Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
          it's been blown way out of proportion.
          Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

          Comment


            • USDA announces first case of dog testing positive for coronavirus in US


            The Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories announced Tuesday that it found the first confirmed case of a dog contracting the coronavirus in the U.S.

            The USDA said in a statement that it first took samples from the dog, a German shepherd in New York, after it showed “signs of respiratory illness” and that it is expected to make a full recovery.

            One of the dog’s owners tested positive for the coronavirus and another dog in the household tested positive for coronavirus antibodies, suggesting exposure, the agency said.

            “We are still learning about SARS-CoV-2 in animals, but there is currently no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus,” the USDA said. “Based on the limited information available, the risk of animals spreading the virus to people is considered to be low. There is no justification in taking measures against companion animals that may compromise their welfare.”

            The coronavirus has been found in a small number of animals across the world, mostly among those who had close contact with a person who was sick with the virus. The USDA emphasized that it is still learning about the impact the illness has on animals. The agency said that routine testing of animals is not recommended.

            Other animals who have tested positive for the coronavirus include two cats, a lion and a tiger. All the animals lived in New York, the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak.: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcar...onavirus-in-us
            • Early update.

            Coronavirus Cases: 6,469,079

            Deaths: 382,811

            Underreported US death count: 108,059

            Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
            it's been blown way out of proportion.
            Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

            Comment


              • COVID-19: Drug targets enzymes that enable virus to invade cells

              SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, enlists the help of two enzymes on the surface of human cells in order to invade them. A new study suggests that a compound that inhibits both enzymes could make a highly effective treatment.

              When disease-causing viruses break into their hosts’ cells, it is invariably an “inside job.” Viral pathogens can only invade cells and replicate with the assistance of the cells’ own molecular machinery.

              SARS-CoV-2 is no exception. Before the new coronavirus can enter a human cell, enzymes called proteases on the cell’s surface must split open the protein spikes that give the virus its characteristic crown-like appearance.

              This splitting changes the shape of the spikes, exposing the binding sites that allow the virus to gain entry to the cell.

              The spikes of coronaviruses contain three “cleavage sites,” where particular proteases can split the proteins. A coronavirus can, therefore, only invade cells that bear the appropriate proteases.

              The cleavage sites and their respective proteases help determine how pathogenic the virus is, which tissues it can infect, and whether it can jump from species to species.

              Scientists at the University of California, Riverside’s School of Medicine and the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, in La Jolla, wanted to find out whether a compound that inhibits two particular proteases would protect cells from invasion by SARS-CoV-2.

              Their findings have been published in the journal Molecules.

              A previous study had suggested that one of the proteases, called furin, is used by some of the most pathogenic coronaviruses. It may be one factor that helps SARS-CoV-2 spread so easily.

              Anthrax model

              Rather than working directly with SARS-CoV-2, the researchers used anthrax toxin as a model.

              This is because furin not only helps viruses infect cells, it also activates anthrax toxin, allowing it to enter and kill cells.

              Crucially, furin cleaves the same sequence of peptides — the units that form protein — in both the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the anthrax toxin. This makes the toxin an ideal model.

              First, the researchers checked whether their agent, called compound 1, could protect human cells in a dish from the toxin.

              Once they confirmed this, they went on to investigate whether compound 1 would protect mice from the toxin.

              They discovered that even a single dose of the compound significantly improved the animals’ survival.

              Snip

              A limitation of the study

              The new research was a lab-based, preclinical study. Clinical trials would, therefore, be needed to test whether an agent such as compound 1 is safe and effective in people.

              One shortcoming of protease inhibitors is that they work by disabling enzymes that the body needs for everyday functioning.

              While protease inhibitors have proved highly effective in treatments for HIV, for example, they can cause severe side effects in some people.

              Cells use furin, in particular, to activate a wide variety of important proteins.: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/art...n-of-the-study
              • Today’s update.

              Coronavirus Cases: 6,523,208

              Deaths: 385,016

              World population: 7,800,000,000 projection: 460,375,447 deaths

              Underreported US death count: 108,766

              Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
              it's been blown way out of proportion.
              Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

              Comment


                • Hydroxychloroquine, a drug promoted by Trump, failed to prevent healthy people from getting covid-19 in trial/No Evidence Hydroxychloroquine Is Helpful In Preventing COVID-19, Study Finds



                Taking hydroxychloroquine after being exposed to someone with COVID-19 does not protect someone from getting the disease.

                That's the conclusion of a study published Wednesday involving 821 participants. All had direct exposure to a COVID-19 patient, either because they lived with one, or were a health care provider or first responder.

                The study had an unusual design. "It was all web-based," says Radha Rajasingham, an infectious disease physician at the University of Minnesota. "People would go to our website if they were interested in enrolling."

                To qualify, people had to be within a few days of their encounter with a COVID-19 patient and not have any symptoms of the disease themselves. Encounters meant being within 6 feet of a sick person for more than 10 minutes while wearing neither a face mask nor an eye shield or while wearing a face mask but no face shield. The volunteers received either a five-day supply of hydroxychloroquine, or a placebo.

                As Rajasingham and her colleagues report in the New England Journal of Medicine, 107 of the 821 participants developed disease; 49 in the group receiving hydroxychloroquine and 58 in the placebo group. That turned out to be an absolute risk reduction in risk of 2.4%. That difference was not statistically significant, and "it's also not clinically meaningful," Rajasingham says. She would like to have seen a relative risk reduction of 30% or more before recommending hydroxychloroquine to asymptomatic patients. She says hydroxychloroquine can have serious side effects, although the side effects reported in this study were relatively mild.

                The prevention study was dreamed up by David Boulware at the University of Minnesota. "This is not my day job," he says. "My normal research is doing clinical trials in Africa for fungal meningitis of the brain."

                He remembers thinking somebody needed to do something to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and the he realized, "I think that's us."

                So he got his team together, and they put together this study of hydroxychloroquine. "Within eight days, we basically had the trial up and running," including all the necessary regulatory approvals." Remarkably, fewer than three months from the day was conceived, he had a paper in a prestigious medical journal.

                Researchers have been interested in the possibility of using hydroxychloroquine to prevent or treat COVID-19 because it seems to impair the virus' ability to infect cells in the lab. The drug's effectiveness in treating hospitalized patients is still an open question, but if there is a benefit, it is most likely a small one.

                Now it appears the drug is not effective at preventing disease in people who have been exposed with minimal or no protection. It remains an open question whether it might be effective in preventing the disease in people who have used appropriate protective gear to prevent exposure. There is currently a multi-center study underway intended to enroll 15,000 people to answer that question.: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...shows-n1223921 - https://www.washingtonpost.com/healt...trial-results/ - https://www.npr.org/sections/health-...19-study-finds
                • Early update.

                Coronavirus Cases: 6,588,701

                Deaths: 388,294

                Underreported US death count: 109,146

                Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
                it's been blown way out of proportion.
                Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

                Comment


                  • No one knows why these Covid-19 patients’ symptoms keep relapsing

                  “When am I going to be free from this?”: The mystery of coronavirus relapse.

                  On April 11, more than a month after she first fell ill with Covid-19, Melanie Montano spritzed perfume around her bedroom to test her senses. She couldn’t smell anything.

                  The next morning, Montano woke up and noticed a “faintly fragrant” scent; her symptoms were finally subsiding. She had more energy for household chores, phone calls with friends, and remote work.

                  “I felt a massive wave of encouragement zap me back to life,” said Montano, 32, who lives in New Jersey. Then, five days later, fever, shortness of breath, and crippling gastrointestinal issues suddenly returned. “This has been the pattern, on-and-off, ever since.” Now, more than two months after she first fell ill, Montano still has symptoms.

                  In May, the World Health Organization announced that Covid-19 recoveries were taking longer than expected and that some patients were experiencing what appeared to be a “relapse” of symptoms. This contradicted an earlier WHO report, which stated that recovery for non-severe Covid-19 cases should only take two weeks. That guidance has been questioned, as more stories of long recoveries and lingering symptoms emerge.

                  It’s too early to really know what is causing symptom relapse, according to several physicians I spoke to, but almost all of them reported treating or hearing about patients who had cycling symptoms. Doctors and research scientists aren’t sure whether potential relapses mean patients are still infectious — and whether the recurrent symptoms are from other infections, viral reactivation, chronic post-viral conditions, or the virus simply taking its normal course.

                  For patients who think they’ve recovered from Covid-19, symptom relapses can be emotionally, physically, and financially devastating. For researchers looking for answers, the relapses remain one of the ongoing mysteries of Covid-19.

                  Much more: https://www.vox.com/2020/6/4/2127472...g-term-effects
                  • Today’s update.

                  Coronavirus Cases: 6,664,187

                  Deaths: 391,067

                  World population: 7,800,000,000 projection: 457,718,638 deaths

                  Underreported US death count: 110,036

                  Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
                  it's been blown way out of proportion.
                  Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

                  Comment


                    • 'Thai unemployment at nearly 10 per cent' due to Covid-19

                    The unemployment rate of Thai people in Bangkok and nearby provinces increased to 9.6 per cent due to the impact of Covid-19 and the lockdown measures, Kasikorn Research Centre said.

                    The research was conducted from May 21 and 28, the centre said.

                    The centre revealed that 61.4 per cent of researched people were unemployed due to the virus crisis and lockdown measures. The other 38.6 per cent were unemployed due to other reasons.

                    The unemployment rate would hit its highest point in the second quarter, before gradually decreasing in the latter part of this year when the state of emergency is relaxed and if a second Covid-19 wave does not happen.

                    Some 6.4 per cent of employed persons said that their companies would possibly close down due to the pandemic, while another 17.4 per cent informed that they could lay off staff in this situation and they would be included.

                    Most households facing the threat of unemployment earned lesser than Bt20,000 per month, the research centre added.

                    The researchers, furthermore, found that 95.5 per cent of researched households have been affected by the social distancing. Among them, 52.5 per cent had lower earnings.

                    The centre said that 25.4 per cent of people wanted the government to stimulate and help the economy recover, after the remedial measures implemented previously end.: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/...ernal_referral

                    Originally posted by Somchai Boonporn View Post
                    Perhaps a blessing in disguise for the Golden Land.
                    • Patients with high blood pressure have twice the risk of dying from coronavirus, study finds

                    Coronavirus patients with high blood pressure have twice the risk of dying from the infection, an international study has found.

                    High blood pressure has been known to worsen the risk of serious symptoms, but the study, published Thursday in the European Heart Journal, shows just how bad the risk is.

                    The international team of researchers, led by Fei Li and Ling Tao of the department of cardiology at Xijing Hospital in Xian, China, studied the records of 2,866 patients treated in Wuhan, where the coronavirus epidemic was first noticed. Just under 30% of them had high blood pressure.

                    "Soon after we started to treat Covid-19 patients in early February in Wuhan, we noticed that nearly half of the patients who died had high blood pressure, which was a much higher percentage compared to those with only mild Covid-19 symptoms," Tao said in a statement.

                    The team found that 4% of patients with high blood pressure died, compared to 1.1% of those with normal blood pressure. After some adjustments for differences among the patients, that worked out to a doubled risk of dying for the patients with high blood pressure. And 7.9% of patients who had stopped taking their blood pressure medications died.: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/04/healt...ess/index.html
                    • Early update.

                    Coronavirus Cases: 6,718,590

                    Deaths: 393,478

                    Underreported US death rate: 110,179

                    Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
                    it's been blown way out of proportion.
                    Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

                    Comment


                      • Blood group type may affect susceptibility to COVID-19 respiratory failure

                      A group of over 120 researchers from various institutions across Europe has performed the first genome-wide association study to reveal host genetic factors that may contribute to respiratory failure in cases of coronavirus disease 209 (COVID-19).

                      The authors say the genetic variants they have identified could help guide further research into the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and aid the clinical risk profiling of patients.

                      A pre-print version of the paper is available on the server medRxiv*, while the article undergoes peer review.

                      Since the COVID-19 outbreak began in Wuhan, China, late last year, it has rapidly become a pandemic health emergency that has now infected more than 6.39 million people worldwide and killed almost 400,000.

                      In Europe, Italy and Spain have been among the most severely affected countries, with epidemics peaking during the second half of February and more than 60,000 fatal cases being reported by May 28th.

                      Most people infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the causative agent of COVID-19 – only experience mild or even no symptoms.

                      Mortality rates are mainly driven by patients who are more susceptible to respiratory failure after becoming ill with pneumonia or respiratory distress syndrome. However, for reasons that are not properly understood, this is only the case for less than 10 percent of people who become infected with SARS-CoV-2.

                      Snip

                      What did the study find?
                      The team detected a cross-replicating association between SNPs on chromosome 3 and chromosome 9 that reached genome-wide significance.

                      A cluster of genes that could be relevant to the development of severe COVID-19 was identified on chromosome 3p21. One of these genes – SLC6A20 – encodes a transporter protein that interacts with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the host cell receptor that SARS-CoV-2 uses to gain viral entry.

                      In the lungs, this protein, which is called Sodium/Imino-acid Transporter 1 (SIT1), is mainly expressed in pneumocytes, and the authors think these cells should be investigated for any involvement that SIT1 may have in viral entry.

                      A lead SNP was also identified on chromosome 9 at the ABO blood group locus, and further analysis showed that A-positive participants were at a 45% increased for respiratory failure, while individuals with blood group O were at a 35% decreased risk for respiratory failure.

                      The authors say that early clinical reports have suggested the ABO blood group system is involved in determining susceptibility to COVID-19 and has also been implicated in susceptibility to SARS-CoV-1.

                      "Our data thus aligns with the suggestions that blood group O is associated with lower risk compared with non-O blood groups whereas blood group A is associated with higher risk of acquiring Covid-19 compared with non-A blood groups," the authors state.: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20...y-failure.aspx
                      • Today's update.

                      Coronavirus Cases: 6,790,275

                      Deaths: 396,236

                      World population: 7,800,000,000 projection: 455,156,941 deaths

                      Underreported US death count: 110,848

                      Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
                      it's been blown way out of proportion.
                      Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

                      Comment


                        • Gloomy future as further economic contraction predicted

                        Siam Commercial Bank’s Economic Intelligence Centre (EIC) has further revised downward its economic projection for this year, and predicted that the baht will reverse its course and weaken in the Covid-19 fallout.

                        Yunyong Thaicharoen, first executive vice president of EIC, said on Friday (June 5) that the centre has revised its projection to an economic contraction of 7.3 per cent this year from its previous forecast of 5.6 per cent. He added that the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting business shutdowns have impacted the economy more severely than expected.

                        Tourist arrivals are expected to shrink by 75 per cent or drop to 9.8 million this year from close to 40 million last year, while the value of export in dollar terms is forecast to contract by 10.4 per cent year on year.

                        However, the economy is expected to bottom out in the second quarter, shrinking 12 per cent, and though contraction will continue in the third and fourth quarters it will be at a slower rate.

                        Businesses and households may find it tougher to repay their debts, while unemployment may hit the 3 million to 5 million mark.

                        The research house believes the Bank of Thailand will maintain its key policy rate at 0.5 per cent for the entire year after a recent rate cut by 25 basis points.

                        The baht is expected to weaken as more and more businesses resume operations after having closed temporarily for three months. The currency is expected to fluctuate between Bt31.5 and Bt32 per dollar. The current account will return to surplus at 2.4 per cent of the GDP after it hit a deficit in April, EIC said.

                        The centre’s assessment is similar to that of the central bank, which said recently that it was worried about currency appreciation. A strong baht may derail recovery from the crisis. The central bank has also warned that the current account surplus this year will be smaller than last year, and that the baht may reverse its course.

                        Thailand’s current account deficit in April was the largest in two decades, coming in at US$3.1 billion (not including gold export) and $700 million (including gold export).

                        Large current account surplus previously had contributed to a stronger baht.: https://www.nationthailand.com/busin...ernal_referral

                        Originally posted by Somchai Boonporn View Post
                        Perhaps a blessing in disguise for the Golden Land.
                        • Early update

                        Coronavirus Cases: 6,868,715

                        Deaths: 398,586

                        Underreported US death count: 111,394

                        Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
                        it's been blown way out of proportion.
                        Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

                        Comment


                        • Why eye protection might be a necessary precaution against COVID-19

                          As evidence mounts that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be transmitted through your eyes, researchers suggest that people in high-risk categories should wear eye protection, in addition to practicing social distancing and wearing a mask.


                          People in high-risk categories, as indicated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, include older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions, in addition to frontline workers.

                          The CDC has not issued formal guidance to the general public for eye protection wear, only for health care workers.

                          The agency website says that people should wear eye protection in "areas with moderate to substantial community transmission" but that in areas with little to no community transmission "eye protection is considered optional, unless otherwise indicated as part of standard precautions."

                          When it comes to coronavirus transmission through the eyes, it's not just touching your eyes that is potentially dangerous. Research suggests that the virus can also possibly transmit through the eyes, mouth and nose, from direct exposure of a droplet from coughing, sneezing or even yelling.

                          A recent study published in Lancet reviewed the risk of viral transmission with social distancing, face covering and eye protection. Although not conclusive, this large study suggests that you are three times less likely to get COVID-19 if you wear eye protection.

                          Specifically, the study shows that face shields, goggles and glasses were associated with a lower risk of infection compared to no eye covering, with a reduction of risk to 6% from 16%.

                          Hospitals and health care settings have different policies in place to protect individuals from COVID-19 transmission through the eyes, according to Dr. Todd Ellerin, chief of infection prevention at South Shore Health.

                          "It is my recommendation that for our patients, our universal precautions should include wearing a mask, a face shield, and hand hygiene," he told ABC News.

                          But what about outside of the hospital, in everyday life?

                          According to some researchers, it might be a good idea for everyday people to don eye protection in addition to a mask - especially if you have an underlying medical condition or you work in a job with a lot of interface with the public, such as at a grocery store.

                          "We know from feline and mouse models of other coronaviruses that infection through the eye is possible. However, given the above evidence, wearing eye protection in high-risk situations seems prudent," said Dr. Vincente Diaz, specialist in ocular immunology and infectious diseases and assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology at Yale University School of Medicine.

                          "If choosing between glasses and contacts, glasses can provide an additional protective barrier. If in a situation where one may come in contact with COVID positive patients, PPE with a shield can provide more protection."

                          We are still learning about COVID-19, but from what we do know, this highly contagious virus can introduce itself to the body through many entries. If worn, eye protection should be used with the other transmission-mitigating measures, including a face mask, social distancing and basic hand hygiene.: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/eye-pr...ry?id=71089124
                          • Today’s update.

                          Coronavirus Cases: 6,925,037

                          Deaths: 400,263

                          World population: 7,800,000,000 projection: 450,835,388 deaths

                          Underreported US death count: 111,788

                          Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
                          it's been blown way out of proportion.

                          Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

                          Comment


                            • Govt to add 9,000 quarantine rooms for Thais returning from abroad

                            The government is speeding up efforts to secure an additional 9,000 rooms to use as quarantine facilities for Thai citizens coming from abroad.

                            Defence Ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantravanich said on Saturday the move was agreed by the Defence Ministry and the Public Health Ministry after learning that many more Thais were registering with the Foreign Affairs Ministry to return home.

                            Lt Gen Kongcheep said the government is now allowing 500 Thais to return home a day, up from the previous 400, so the ministries have coordinated with hotels to provide an additional 9,000 rooms that can be used as quarantine facilities.

                            He said all returnees are being placed in state quarantine for 14 days to ensure they have not contracted Covid-19.

                            He said during quarantine they are tested for the virus twice.

                            The first test is conducted on the fifth day of their stay and the second on the twelfth day.

                            However, if they are found to have contracted Covid-19, they are immediately sent to receive care at state hospitals.

                            The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) reported that as of June 1, 30,019 Thais have returned home.: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...30576#cxrecs_s

                            Originally posted by Somchai Boonporn View Post
                            Perhaps a blessing in disguise for the Golden Land.
                            • Early update.

                            Coronavirus Cases: 6,993,767

                            Deaths: 402,438

                            Underreported US death count: 112,096


                            Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
                            it's been blown way out of proportion.
                            Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

                            Comment


                              • Vitamin K found in some cheeses could help fight Covid-19, study suggests

                              Patients who have died or been admitted to intensive care with Covid-19 have been found to be deficient in a vitamin found in spinach, eggs, and hard and blue cheeses, raising hopes that dietary change might be one part of the answer to combating the disease.

                              Researchers studying patients who were admitted to the Canisius Wilhelmina hospital in the Dutch city of Nijmegen have extolled the benefits of vitamin K after discovering a link between deficiency and the worst coronavirus outcomes.

                              Covid-19 causes blood clotting and leads to the degradation of elastic fibres in the lungs. Vitamin K, which is ingested through food and absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, is key to the production of proteins that regulate clotting and can protect against lung disease.

                              The Dutch researchers are now seeking funding for a clinical trial, but Dr Rob Janssen, a scientist working on the project, said that in light of the initial findings he would encourage a healthy intake of vitamin K, except to those on blood-thinning medications such as warfarin.

                              He said: “We are in a terrible, horrible situation in the world. We do have an intervention which does not have any side effects, even less than a placebo. There is one major exception: people on anti-clotting medication. It is completely safe in other people.

                              “My advice would be to take those vitamin K supplements. Even if it does not help against severe Covid-19, it is good for your blood vessels, bones and probably also for the lungs.”

                              Janssen added: “We have [vitamin] K1 and K2. K1 is in spinach, broccoli, green vegetables, blueberries, all types of fruit and vegetables. K2 is better absorbed by the body. It is in Dutch cheese, I have to say, and French cheese as well.”

                              A Japanese delicacy of fermented soya beans called natto is particularly high in the second type of vitamin K and there may be cause for further studies into its health benefits, Janssen said.

                              “I have worked with a Japanese scientist in London and she said it was remarkable that in the regions in Japan where they eat a lot of natto, there is not a single person to die of Covid-19; so that is something to dive into, I would say.”: https://www.theguardian.com/science/...study-suggests
                              • Today's update.

                              Coronavirus Cases: 7,055,627

                              Deaths: 403,755

                              World population: 7,800,000,000 projection: 446,531,401 deaths

                              Underreported US death count: 112,368

                              Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
                              it's been blown way out of proportion.

                              Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

                              Comment


                                • Study identifies potential approach to treat severe respiratory distress in patients with COVID-19

                                Early data from a clinical study suggest that blocking the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) protein provided clinical benefit to a small group of patients with severe COVID-19. Researchers observed that the off-label use of the cancer drug acalabrutinib, a BTK inhibitor that is approved to treat several blood cancers, was associated with reduced respiratory distress and a reduction in the overactive immune response in most of the treated patients.

                                The findings were published June 5, 2020, in Science Immunology. The study was led by researchers in the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), in collaboration with researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), both part of the National Institutes of Health, as well as the U.S. Department of Defense’s Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and four other hospitals nationally.

                                These findings should not be considered clinical advice but are being shared to assist the public health response to COVID-19. While BTK inhibitors are approved to treat certain cancers, they are not approved as a treatment for COVID-19. This strategy must be tested in a randomized, controlled clinical trial in order to understand the best and safest treatment options for patients with severe COVID-19.

                                The BTK protein plays an important role in the normal immune system, including in macrophages, a type of innate immune cell that can cause inflammation by producing proteins known as cytokines. Cytokines act as chemical messengers that help to stimulate and direct the immune response. In some patients with severe COVID-19, a large amount of cytokines are released in the body all at once, causing the immune system to damage the function of organs such as the lungs, in addition to attacking the infection. This dangerous hyperinflammatory state is known as a “cytokine storm.” At present, there are no proven treatment strategies for this phase of the illness. The study was developed to test whether blocking the BTK protein with acalabrutinib would reduce inflammation and improve the clinical outcome for hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19.

                                This prospective off-label clinical study included 19 patients with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis that required hospitalization, as well as with low blood-oxygen levels and evidence of inflammation. Of these patients, 11 had been receiving supplemental oxygen for a median of two days, and eight others had been on ventilators for a median of 1.5 (range 1-22) days.

                                Within one to three days after they began receiving acalabrutinib, the majority of patients in the supplemental oxygen group experienced a substantial drop in inflammation, and their breathing improved. Eight of these 11 patients were able to come off supplemental oxygen and were discharged from the hospital. Although the benefit of acalabrutinib was less dramatic in patients on ventilators, four of the eight patients were able to come off the ventilator, two of whom were eventually discharged. The authors note that the ventilator patient group was extremely clinically diverse and included patients who had been on a ventilator for prolonged periods of time and had major organ dysfunction. Two of the patients in this group died.: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news...ients-covid-19 - https://immunology.sciencemag.org/content/5/48/eabd0110
                                • Early update.

                                Coronavirus Cases: 7,106,010

                                Deaths: 406,395

                                Underreported US death count: 112,469

                                Originally posted by Boon Mee View Post
                                it's been blown way out of proportion.
                                Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

                                Comment

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