BangkokPost-Apr 26
Thailand cannot yet declare Covid-19 as an endemic disease as the country is still at risk of a fresh wave being triggered, Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine, warned on Monday. About two years into the pandemic, everyone wants to see the end of the spread of the virus but the disease cannot yet be declared endemic, he said during a Siriraj Hospital Facebook Live session. He said the virus can still trigger a new outbreak and the country must still fully vaccinate people to reduce severe cases and deaths. “This is a critical point,” he said, as the kingdom begins to ease travel restrictions. “Several countries are still battling infections.” “[Measures] to stimulate the economy and bring in money could bring back Covid-19,” he added. “So, we must mitigate the risks by focusing on prevention and treatment.” He said that more than 2 million Thais are not vaccinated and 10% have received only received one dose. Citing Friday’s global Covid-19 situation, he said deaths last week reached the lowest point since the beginning of the outbreak in 2020. The decline in fatalities could be attributed to two factors: the less severe Omicron variant and an increase in vaccinations, he said. He said Omicron is highly transmissible but less deadly than the Delta variant. He said that endemic status does not mean Covid-19 will no longer be life-threatening. Read more at: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2300214/covid-19-not-yet-endemic
