According to the minister of public health, the proposed removal of COVID-19 as an emergency disease covered under the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (UCEP) scheme was merely a protocol adjustment. He reasoned that Covid was no longer a novel disease.
Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul said COVID-19 treatments will still be covered under UCEP, but only for those with critical symptoms. The UCEP coverage is reserved for COVID-19 patients with symptoms such as breathing difficulties or severe coughing. Patients with mild to no symptoms can be treated at home or hospitals. Their medical expenses will be covered by their health security coverage or insurance policies.
Regarding the more contagious BA.2 subvariant of Omicron, the minister said current personal protective measures continue to be effective, while the rollout of booster shots is being accelerated.
Department of Disease Control (DDC) Director-General Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong said the general public should not be worried about any Omicron subvariants. The preventative measures and treatment protocols are the same regardless of the strains.
Despite higher transmissibility, the BA.2 subvariant does not seem to show any difference in immune escape or severity when compared to its BA.1 counterpart. The World Health Organization has not declared BA.2 as a variant of interest or a variant of concern.
With the number of new cases on the rise, Dr. Opas said the fatality rate in Thailand remains lower than in other countries. Almost all fatal cases are among unvaccinated elders. (NNT)
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