Thais raise Covid guard when with others: survey
Some 95.5 per cent of respondents in a Department of Health survey said they wear face masks when they are around others – a slight increase from the 94.2 per cent in a July poll.
According to the Anamai Poll – conducted from August 1 to 23 but which did not provide the number of respondents surveyed – most were willing to wear masks in closed spaces, when interacting with people in vulnerable groups (elders, pregnant women, those who are sick from other illnesses), and when attending public activities even in open air.
Precisely 88.4 per cent of those questioned said they washed their hands after touching communal surfaces and before meals, increasing from 86.9 per cent in the previous month’s poll.
Meanwhile, 87.2 per cent said they maintained social distancing in public, an increase from 86.3 per cent in the previous poll.
“The Covid-19 situation in Thailand is improving, which has prompted authorities to relax disease control measures to let people live their lives as normally as possible,” Department of Health director-general Dr Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai said on Tuesday.
“However, people should still maintain the Covid-19 universal protection practice, especially if you or your family members are in any of the vulnerable groups.”
Suwanchai said it is highly recommended to wear face masks when interacting with others, wash your hands regularly, and avoid visiting crowded areas. If you develop Covid-like symptoms such as a cough, a runny nose or fever, take an antigen test immediately and go into self-isolation to prevent infecting others.
On Wednesday morning Thailand recorded 2,062 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 28 deaths in the past 24 hours, while 2,100 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospital. The number of cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022, stands at 2,415,826, with 10,411 deaths.
