Thailand eyeing end of Covid within the year: deputy health minister
Thailand expects to see an end to the Covid-19 pandemic by the year-end despite concerns that mutations can cough up new variants, Deputy Health Minister Satit Pitutecha said on Thursday.
He said the country is moving ahead with its plan to designate Covid-19 endemic although the World Health Organisation has made no clear recommendation.
To prevent a new variant outbreak, the Public Health Ministry is “employing all available means” to meet the target of administering booster shots.
Satit also said the ministry was closely following the Covid-19 situation in North Korea, which is witnessing a surge in new cases, to see if a new variant develops.
Satit was speaking during his speech on “New Normal Health Behaviours” while opening an academic meeting at Mahidol University’s Faculty of Public Health in Nakhon Pathom province.
The deputy minister said Covid-19 has completely changed some behaviours, including attending public gatherings, travelling, and eating out.
He cited results of a survey of 1,218 people by Suan Dusit University last year, when Thailand was hard hit by Covid-19.
According to the survey, more than 90 per cent of the respondents said one new behaviour after Covid would be to always wear a face mask and buy various masks.
To stay safe from Covid, Satit stressed on the “VUCA” measure, which stands for vaccine, universal prevention, a Covid-free setting, and ATK testing.