Covid-19 officially not ‘dangerous’ from October 1

BANGKOK: Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has announced their intention to downgrade the official status of Covid-19 as “a “dangerous communicable disease” to “communicable disease under surveillance” starting October 1. 

The announcement, as reported by Bangkok Post and confirmed by the Royal Thai Government, has bolstered expectations for the coming “high season” for tourism, which traditionally lasts from October to March. 

However, at time of press the government had not clarified how the status change will specifically benefit tourism. 

Thailand still mandates unvaccinated persons to submit a negative Covid (RT-PCR or professional rapid antigen) to enter the kingdom, which has to be taken within 72 hours of their departure. This is irrespective of past Covid-19 infection or actual immunity status. 

UPDATE: No vaccine certificates, Covid test results required to enter Thailand from October 1.

Pedaling pedagogical Pfizer

Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of Thailand’s Department of Disease Control recently signed a contract with Deborah Seifert, country manager of Pfizer Thailand, to purchase three million doses of Pfizer’s formulation targeting children between the ages of six months and five years. 

One justification cited  for targeting this relatively low-risk age group in Thailand was the purported risk of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), which was said to have been detected in one in 10,000 child (Covid) patients. 

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is a heir to Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Pcl, confirmed that mask-wearing is not mandatory in the kingdom but still recommended in crowded public places. 

The minister, who reportedly contracted Covid in June, has received six doses – two of the Sinovac, two of Astra Zeneca and two of Pfizer formulations. Source.