Stop prevaricating, tackle flu head on

Nobody knows the actual number of type-A (H1N1) influenza cases, because most of them go unreported. It would not be off the mark to assume that the number is several hundred thousand by now. This warrants drastic action, which unfortunately would disrupt businesses and inconvenience people in their daily life, in order to curb the contagion.

The official stand is that the flu epidemic in Thailand is manageable. At present, the fatality rate against the confirmed cases is 0.4 per cent, which is level two by the World Health Organisation's definition. At WHO's level five, when the fatality rate hits 2 per cent of the confirmed cases, a country will be required to shut its borders.

We do not have to wait for the crisis situation to develop to level five before taking action. It is better to take precautionary measures now rather than later.

The Public Health Ministry has informed the Cabinet that it is not necessary to take any drastic measures for the moment. Shutting schools or any public places across the country as a preventive measure is not yet an option. But the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has gone ahead and announced the closure of its 435 schools, 200 nurseries and 13 occupational training centres for five days beginning today.

The Cabinet has ended up proposing half-hearted voluntary measures for fear of creating further panic. Among the voluntary measures, any student who is sick or suspects that he or she might have contracted the flu should be allowed to stay home. Companies, government agencies and factories have also been asked to allow any persons who are sick with the flu to take leave without any pay cut.

This attitude of the government does not bode well for the well-being of the nation as a whole. For the flu is deadly contagious and can spread quickly in multiple figures. We believe the time has arrived for the Cabinet to take a hard decision to deal with the epidemic once and for all by requiring that all private or public activities that attract masses of people be suspended for two weeks. Schools, theatres, concerts, department stores, supermarkets and offices should also be closed for the same period. This would cut off the cycle of flu contagion and limit its ability to spread.

Without this tough but necessary action, there is a high risk that the pandemic could spiral even further out of control and inflict irreparable damage on the country as a whole.