BANGKOK – Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the government would lock down the nation if the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak grows to its third stage in the country.
“The government is working on measures to prepare for the third-stage outbreak. Many measures are being prepared and some measures have been implemented,” he said.
“The preparation of facilities is important. They include beds and specialized hospitals. Military hospitals, some private hospitals and some hotels may be used. We are gathering information and looking for suitable places,” Gen Prayut said.
He stressed that the local outbreak remained at its second stage and it had not reached the third stage which would be widespread human-to-human transmission.
“If that happens, it will be the third stage and the national lockdown is necessary,” the prime minister said.
“What the government is doing is not a lockdown. It is the intensified screening of visitors and departing people,” he said.
Gen Prayut also said that operators were cooperating with the government’s decision to close entertainment places temporarily.
Sources said that the prime minister ordered the import of favilavir that is an anti-coronavirus drug from Japan to treat patients during the third stage of the outbreak and medium-sized hospitals in all regions will be used to treat Covid-19 patients. (TNA)
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