To avoid a spike in Covid-19 infections around the Songkran holiday in mid-April, a proactive vaccination campaign for the elderly will be launched later this month.
Sumanee Wacharasin, an assistant spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said on Thursday (Mar 10) that the nationwide campaign is aimed at preventing more Covid-related deaths among the elderly, as many people plan to return home for a family reunion to celebrate Songkran. She went on to say that officials will combine their resources to encourage persons over the age of 60 to get a booster shot to maintain high levels of immunity ahead of the Thai New Year vacation.
According to Sumanee, the campaign’s goal is to vaccinate as many as 70% of the elderly against the coronavirus by the end of March. All provinces’ communicable disease committees have been tasked with devising a strategy to persuade all senior citizens to get a booster shot as soon as possible.
According to the most recent data from the Ministry of Public Health, 4 million senior adults, or 31% of Thailand’s total aging population, have received three doses of the Covid-19 vaccine since the nationwide immunization programs began. Elderly persons also account for the majority of Covid-19 fatalities, which have reached new highs since the discovery of the Omicron variant this year.
Health professionals have stated that receiving at least two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine can considerably minimize the risk of serious illness and death among the elderly and people with chronic diseases.
The government recently announced that there will be no lockdown during Songkran to allow the public and holiday revelers time to celebrate the occasion. However, the agency emphasized that strong Covid-19 prevention measures, such as mask-wearing, handwashing, and social distancing must be properly followed in order to prevent more infections in the country. (NNT)
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