Covid-19 gradually becoming endemic in Thailand, says virologist
Thailand’s Covid-19 situation is slowly improving because most people have developed an immunity against the virus either through vaccines or infection, a top virologist said on Monday.
Dr Yong Poovorawan pointed out that 80 per cent of the population has received their second jab, while 40 per cent their third jab.
Citing data released by Chulalongkorn University’s Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Yong said 70 per cent of the population has already contracted Covid-19 at least once.
“This proves that most of the population has developed an immunity against the virus,” said Yong, who also heads the Centre of Excellence.
However, he said, to improve their chance of developing severe symptoms, vulnerable people like the elderly, pregnant women and those with chronic diseases should get at least four jabs. He also advised healthy people below the age of 60 to also get at least three jabs.
Yong said he expects Covid-19 cases to continue dropping until the end of this year but start spreading again during the cool season from January to March.
However, he said he does not expect too many infections between June and September next year because the disease will have become endemic by then.
"We believe the Covid-19 situation will improve further and tourism will pick up,” he said, adding that more schools will start opening up.
On Monday, Thailand recorded 242 new Covid-19 cases and 11 deaths. The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 4.67 million – 4.63 million of whom have recovered, 8,349 are still in hospitals and 32,640 have died.
As of Sunday, the total number of Covid vaccines administered nationwide came in at 143.15 million. Of them, 57.30 million were first jabs, 53.80 million second jabs and 32.04 million third jabs.
