BangkokPost-Apr 19
The Public Health Ministry is reportedly stockpiling medical supplies to ensure the country’s readiness to handle rising Covid-19 cases after the Songkran festival.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Monday that the ministry is focusing on medical supplies and hospitals to ensure readiness to provide treatments against Covid-19, especially for people considered at-risk of contracting the disease. “The country has enough supplies of favipiravir pills,” he said. He also said the ministry’s board of consultants has suggested that infection measures be eased, but the plan must be vetted by an academic panel first before it can be considered.
According to Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO), about 110 million favipiravir pills have been distributed to hospitals nationwide for Covid-19 patients who will need medication. It also plans to distribute 45,000 courses of the Paxlovid antiviral medication combo from Pfizer (Thailand) among other medicines this month.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has issued its summary of the overall infection numbers during the Songkran festival, showing 146,474 cases in total between April 11 and Sunday. Meanwhile, the National Health Security Office (NHSO) urged members of at-risk groups to claim their free ATKs to help reduce the spread of the virus after the Songkran festival, NHSO secretary-general Jadej Thammatacharee said. Read more at: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2296670/ministry-bracing-for-post-songkran-spike
