The National Health Security Office announced its plan to distribute 8.5 million antigen test kits for people to test themselves for COVID-19.
NHSO secretary-general Dr. Jadet Thammathat-Aree said the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) signed a contract for the procurement of the 8.5 million ATKs and NHSO would start the distribution on Sept 15 mainly for at-risk people including people in red zones and those in the families and communities of COVID-19 cases.
ATKs would be handed out in packed communities and markets and at service centers namely hospitals, sub-district hospitals, clinics and pharmacies in red zones. Service centers will distribute ATKs via the Paotang app. Recipients will get two ATKs each for use five days apart. The second test is recommended in case that the first test returns negative.
Krungthai Bank will add the ATK distribution function to the Paotang app on Sept 11. Pharmacies will show big stickers to tell people that NHSO will hand out ATKs there.
People can seek information on the issue via NHSO’s hotline number 1330 and the @nhso account in the LINE chat app around the clock. (TNA)