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Home » Reader question » Reader question: Do Thais have better resistance to Covid-19?
Dear readers,
The Thai people are generally neat and tidy, yet I have the impression that they have much more resistance than we do in the Netherlands. Now my question: Could it be that the Thai have more resistance to diseases than we do? And therefore fewer Corona deaths?
Regards,
Henk
I think we are better at making visible what is really going on, the number of infections and deaths, than the Thai government. In my opinion it has little to do with more or less resistance.
Resistance has a causal relationship with living conditions, nutrition and night's sleep. It may even be that we in Western countries do this better than in Thailand. The rest is just coffee grounds...
I can only confirm this, the Thai government is doing everything possible to print the real numbers. If the numbers are really that low, I really don't see the point of the lockdown measures that have only come into effect in recent weeks. 2 deaths in one day and then paralyzing the entire economy is disproportionate, but the measures are necessary because the real figures are much higher.
Herman,
You are, unfortunately, I think, right. The numbers are, to put it politely, not accurate
As long as there is no vaccine, tourism will lag far behind what people are used to. Tourists will not run a risk abroad due to the coran virus.
Gr. Rob Grimijzer
It may also be that they are a lot smarter there than here, aren't they.. Reacting on time and taking measures is certainly smart in this case.. Here they were much too late. The Thai also do not shake hands and are not kissers like us. If you do that late or do very little, you are already a lot further, of course.
On time? First Covid patient in TH on January 13, the first measure. Temperature scans were started in February. Mid-March that 'fit to fly + embassy declaration' or 'Covid free' declaration for foreigners. At the end of March, the state of emergency, social distancing call, etc. It is what you call responding in time, other countries were more flexible with measures such as social distancing, a measure that demonstrably helps, while the Thai continued to allow Chinese to enter from all regions for weeks.
The Thai were decisive with ad hoc measures and a prime minister who appears combatively on TV. That apparently impresses people?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_pandemic_in_Thailand
The Netherlands is hardly better than Thailand with this virus.
There is hardly any testing for corona, first only hospital staff and now finally also dribs and drabs on healthcare staff.
Many more people die every day than the RIVM and the GGD would have us believe.
Not tested for corona and still die, then you will not be counted
See the figures from Statistics Netherlands, which has many more deaths than normal.
But coming back to the question of whether Thais are more resistant to viruses is hard to say.
I personally think that the climate is in their favour, even if that is questioned.
In the Netherlands, there is already a lot of sniffling with the cold and we are more susceptible to viruses.
With the heat that is in Thailand this time, you will not see many people with a cold.
But too little is known about covid 19 and we won't know for sure until a few years from now
@ Eric,
If you now read the figures when a number of people have died again, then it is the Thai people who make up at least 99% of these deaths.
Also in different age groups.
Thai parties are also regularly raided and reported to the police by neighbors and anyone else.
So yes, say it.
Difficult to say whether people here (Thailand) are better protected from home.
LOUISE
I don't think Thais have a better resistance. But what I do think is that on the one hand, Thailand started wearing face masks and using disinfection in most shops and buildings much earlier than the Netherlands and that almost the entire population is participating. I would like to add again that I do not believe that the masks help against infection, but they help to reduce the spread of the virus.
Then you can also look at how people interact with each other. How do you greet someone in the Netherlands? Handshake, kisses, hug. You don't see that happening much in Thailand. People simply touch each other less. Especially at the beginning of the pandemic, when everything was still unclear and people were not aware that as a carrier they unknowingly pass on the virus, it had free rein. Then everyone was already walking with masks here.
It may be that the dark figure here is higher than assumed, but I myself think from what I have read in the media so far that people here in Thailand reacted very quickly.
I would like to add that these are my thoughts… they are not scientific data or research…
I think a good analysis. The big test case will be India with 1,3 billion people, where everyone is always on top of each other in the enormous cities, although there is little contact (Hindu). The living conditions are much harsher and pollution is extreme. For generations they have had to build up resistance to survive (life expectancy is a lot lower). So if the theory of resistance is correct, the infection should be smaller. No evidence so far I think. So we have to wait and continue to protect ourselves.
Agree.
The Thai report mi in good conscience. Better reporting even than in the Netherlands, where there are a number of big question marks about the actual number of people infected. In the Netherlands, even the cured people are not reported, because people probably don't remember. No country can report 100% accurately every day. The fact is that Thailand has 40 times less infections per million inhabitants and because the percentage of deaths per number of infections is also much lower than in Europe, we are talking about a factor of about 300 in terms of COVID deaths !!!! (today 278). That is a very big difference and there are indeed a number of reasons/hypotheses underlying it:
1) climate, because there are also far fewer infections in the other subtropical areas than in Europe and the US. The spread virus lives considerably shorter in this climate, there is already evidence for that and you can see that in the numbers of the other subtropical countries. Because the virus lives shorter, people are infected with fewer virus particles per infection, people become less seriously ill, because the body can more easily switch off the virus and therefore people also have a greater chance of survival. The WHO has explained that the amount of infection does influence the degree of illness and the chance of survival. I also think Sjaak's greeting theory is a good one.
2) The Thai government has taken really concrete steps to prevent the spread much earlier than other countries. In the Netherlands, Rutte has acted too hesitantly and this has resulted in many additional infections and deaths. The latter is a personal opinion, but if you compare what and when the successful countries took action, you cannot help but come to this conclusion. We can debate this, would be nice, but not going into a blog. Measures, such as stopping air traffic in time, lock-down, mouth / nose protection, maintaining social distance, were all not necessary in the Netherlands / Europe at first. Later, but too late. It's a pity, but your own fault....big bump.
3) In almost all countries in Europe (except Germany) there was a lack of test kits. Not in Thailand and there is now even a surplus of medical facilities in Thailand.
Conclusion: Thailand's figures are many times better than in Europe/US and are, in my opinion, fairly accurate (WHO is also present in Thailand). Even if the Thai were to lie, you cannot camouflage this large difference in infection and death density. They also have no reason to lie; there is no longer any economic advantage to be gained from lying.
Under point 1 you mention the climate and in similar circumstances such as Indonesia, reports came out last week from a Dutch journalist that 1 deceased covid sufferers were buried at 10 cemetery in Jakarta that day before 5 o'clock in the morning.
I think the immune system of Thai people is slightly different from most Dutch people. This is because the living conditions are different. Take my example: we shower with pumped water and my Thai wife also brushes her teeth with it, I still use bottled water after 5 years. There will be more examples where the training of the immune system is different, so the resistance is also different. Whether that works better against Corona is doubtful because both immune systems do not yet know this strange attacker.
There is no doubt that a healthy body, food and exercise have a better buffer!
Timker anyway, still brushing teeth with bottled water after 5 years. Are you so afraid of the pumped water? When I arrive in Thailand I am always a bit more careful the first few days. You actually said it yourself, you should try to strengthen your immune system.
I don't believe at all that Thai have a better resistance.
The hospitals are often full, people are given a lot of medication and the face masks that are worn, well, exceptions left there.
And then the crystal meth, the Yaba.
In terms of health, only the sun and mother nature will beat the Netherlands.
a suspicion of d'Hond after comparing several values: air humidity: https://www.foodlog.nl/artikel/de-hond-luchtvochtigheid-bepaalt-covid-19-kans-voor-een-slimme-exit-uit-de/ respectively. https://www.news.uzh.ch/de/articles/2020/grippeviren.html
The virus survives above 40 degrees in dry air with an RH of 20% for only 20 minutes on stainless steel. So dry hot air does help.
Aircon on the other hand is a spreader like many more fungi and bacteria.
if that were the case, all of us would go into the 90° sauna for fifteen minutes, right?
It could be that one blood group has more resistance than the other, but I think it is rather due to the fact that most infections occur between the ages of 30-39, this group would normally be stronger than other age groups.
There are a number of factors that may play a role.
First of all, the way of greeting.
In the three months I was there I noticed that a kiss as a greeting is not common. (Insiders already knew that of course) The wai is known to be more normal… Walking hand in hand in public is also not common.
In addition, the high temperature may play a role. The WHO disputes that idea, but it mainly concerns Western Europeans who think that it will pass in the summer.
But a recent Chinese study shows that 8.72. ° is a turning point. It spreads faster below that and less quickly above. And moist air also ensures faster spread.
In the winter months, the humidity was usually very low. I loved the heat of 32 thanks to the low humidity.
Whether hygiene also plays a role can be better judged by others.. What struck me was that hotels from 500 Bath (from ) were cleaned very well … But with a low budget
I was shocked by the lack of hygiene in the hotel.
The same goes for restaurants..
An intestinal infection three times in three months. But then I realized that especially the busy restaurants are the safest.
The Thai apparently know it themselves…
At the start of the outbreak, the markets were subject to stricter controls and fines for non-compliance with hygiene rules. Remember that after India, Thailand is where the most intestinal infections are contracted.
This may not affect the spread of the virus.
Also the tradition to walk into temples, shops and houses with shoes. Because the virus also spreads through the ground (falling droplets)
I also found the Thai to smell fresh.
But finally, whether the people themselves are more resistant.... I have not found any indication of that. I don't think so. The only special thing in which Thailand differs from the surrounding countries is that Western countries have never colonized it. But we know from the history that this makes a people more vulnerable to foreign viruses. (Spain Indians)
Dutch scientists did discover that there is a connection between the composition of someone's DNA and the degree of susceptibility. This is now being investigated further.
It is also special that there is a village in Italy where no one has contracted the virus.
In short, we still know very little and research must reveal which factors play a role in the course of the virus.
A recently published study by the University of Ghent shows that genetic factors play a role. The study did focus on Europe and it turned out that the further north you go, the more natural resistance there is. It would be interesting to set up such a study here…
About the same story as during the plague epidemic around 1345: the southern (Roman) countries were almost wiped out, up to 85% of the city population, the northern, Scandinavian countries were relatively much less affected.
Here, a check is always done when you die by a qualified doctor who will also test for corona as the cause of death, especially if the symptoms of a lung infection are present. In Thailand, simple pneumonia or other causes are often enough to classify the deceased. So I think the real number of deaths is much higher, but the cause is much less carefully registered.
Are Thais healthier than us? No, I do not think so. Just look at life expectancy. The average Westerner is getting much older. Are they more resistant to the virus? Yes, maybe. Many Thai are physically much more busy than the Westerner. The largest part does not yet have all the luxury of equipment to make it comfortable. Our immune system is lazy. We live in climate controlled homes, workplaces, cars and so on. We are also older on average. This means that our immune system is not stimulated enough to respond quickly and adequately to threats. Is this the explanation for the low numbers compared to the West? I think so. Climate or otherwise is widely diverse in the world. Just take Spain compared to the Netherlands. The virus really doesn't care about hot or cold weather. Well, this is my opinion, of course, not a scientifically based story.
The average Westerner has a higher life expectancy. Why? We see that now, they are kept alive longer with medicines and interventions. As a result, mortality in case of infection is now quite high in rest and nursing homes. The healthier elderly also have fewer problems with the virus. In Thailand, care for the elderly is not at the same level.
Hi,
Corona doesn't like high temperatures, so things are slowing down here.
The mask doesn't really protect you from yourself, but it certainly helps that you don't infect others.
So if everyone wears one of those things, you'll be there too.
They don't shake hands here.
Corona has nothing to do with varieties, but we actually know too little about them.
That of my doctor friends in NL.
That Thai people are generally neat and well-groomed compared to farang is nonsense, and I can even be annoyed by….corrupt mess, is that clean?
gr
Oean Eng
I also find the Thai deaths in Thailand surprisingly low considering the total population in Thailand.
The government may divide the actual number by ten. But it may also be that Thais already wear face masks in principle. And although a lot is written about face masks, I still think they provide a certain protection. Here in the Netherlands I have the impression that my Thai wife and I are the only ones wearing an FFP3 cap. People here look at you very strangely and small children hide behind their mother. I have also read that at about 26-28 degrees C the Corona dies (or maybe decreases in strength?) And so at Bangkok temperatures that could well be the case.
Spain and Italy are living proof that all those statements about higher temperatures would kill the virus are nonsense. In Europe, the worst affected countries are the southern ones and there are significantly fewer cases in the northern (colder) countries. It is an established fact that the government does not communicate the actual number.
Just looked up. (today, Thursday 16 April 2020)
Temperature Bergamo: 8 degrees; Milan 11 degrees: Barcelona 16 degrees; Madrid 12 degrees; Bangkok 28 degrees (06.00am)
Until a few weeks ago it was freezing in northern Italy. In Northern Spain it was also not really warm yet.
A Mediterranean climate is far from a tropical climate. In Thailand it hardly cools down during the night. This is a bit different in Spain and Italy, especially after sunset. Those countries also have the winter season. It is never winter in Thailand and you can even swim outside in January in a non-heated pool. Don't think about this in southern Spain or Italy.
Spain and Italy do not have high temperatures in winter. In addition, the virus has broken out in Italian ski resorts.
And how many times have you been told that you have no respect for Dutch culture, that you have to adapt to Dutch culture? 😉
Wear a mask if you feel more comfortable, but the most important thing is social distancing and good hygiene. Personally, I wouldn't wear an FFP mask, they are desperately needed in healthcare, etc. and they are still in short supply. With the other measures that people are calling for and that I adhere to, I feel sufficiently safe. As described elsewhere, the cheap disposable wipes do not help protect yourself, perhaps just a little bit so that you don't sprinkle others with drops. But then you shouldn't stand close to each other. Unfortunately, this seems to happen more in Thailand than in the Netherlands (false sense of protection through a cap, I suspect). Even though some consciously or unconsciously do not adhere to the rules and warnings, the number of official Covid reports in Thailand remains low. I don't dare say anything about that, the experts will just have to examine the data.
Could it be that more people in the West are receiving life-prolonging care? They have long died in Asia and are now also dying en masse in the west.
Yes, all at once, right? And it's not just the elderly who are dying.
If it is stated to the sorrow that the majority of the deceased persons had underlying illnesses, it cannot be otherwise than that without the many medicines these people would have died much earlier?
Someone aged 80 in rural Thailand is often not on medication and is often not overweight. Those are the strong people who will also survive this.
After this event, the Western world should conduct a thorough investigation into whether excessive sugar consumption, resulting in obesity and other problems, has made Western people weaker in order to be able to withstand this virus.
I wonder if the underlying disease is kept in combination with the death.
Just as alcohol gives the brain a good feeling, sugar is certainly no sweetheart and even more dangerous because it is processed in everything and anything and people are already exposed to this danger from toddlerhood.
Alcohol is also a simple sugar, but that is what people choose... putting sugar in food is a mafia practice and let it be supported by many governments in countries that are dealing with many Corona deaths.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social-and-lifestyle/1721303/the-problem-of-thailands-sweet-tooth
Good question. For example, I once asked why I had to be vaccinated against diseases (including hepatitis) when I came to Thailand and the local population has a resistance to this?
The best measure is the fireplace of the crematorium, and the evening prayers of the monks. they have been increased.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-30/is-there-a-lower-incidence-of-cold-and-flu-infections-in-tropics/10381902
I think it's all just coffee grounds. But when I look at BKK, where around 14 million people live and there is a low mortality rate, I start to doubt whether these figures are correct... They are doing their best to contain the virus, it must be said. I live in Hatyai and everything here has been locked down for three weeks. I personally think that the way of greeting contributes to the fact that the virus is not transmitted so quickly. This, in combination with high temperatures that have been demonstrated, may contribute to making it difficult for the virus to spread. As I said, it's all just coffee grounds... I would like to wish all fellow loggers and of course all Thais strength and good health!!!!
Quote: “If only rich countries are taken into account, male and female life expectancies rise to 76 and 82 years respectively. That is 16 years and 19 years longer respectively than a man and a woman in a developing country, where the average life expectancy is now 60 years for men and 63 years for women.”
There are several reasons why life expectancy in wealthier, Western countries is higher than in poorer, developing countries, with Thailand in between as a developing country. The most important ones: better and more accessible health care (from baby care to care for the elderly), better nutrition, reliable water, more money, so less direct financial worries, less stress, less hard work, fewer attacks on health due to climate and environmental pollution.
And yes, there are always exceptions, but this is the average picture.