The Government Gazette has announced that COVID-19 will be classified as a communicable disease under monitoring from October 1 onward. The National Communicable Disease Committee recently held a meeting to determine practical guidelines for the current state of the disease. It also resolved to lift the vaccine and COVID test requirements for entry into Thailand.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul affirmed after attending the National Communicable Disease Committee meeting that the COVID situation is improving worldwide as well as in Thailand. Figures for admitted patients, critical patients and fatalities have continued to drop and 82% of the population is estimated to have developed immunity to the disease.
The meeting endorsed the plan for designating COVID-19 as a communicable disease under monitoring for the October 2022-September 2023 period. Approval was therefore given for its status as a hazardous communicable disease to be lifted and relegated to the 57th communicable disease under monitoring. The move was carried out in accordance with the Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558 announced in the Government Gazette. The change will take effect on October 1.
The meeting will also present four strategies for monitoring of COVID-19 to the Cabinet. These are to involve the measures for disease prevention, monitoring and control; treatment; communication of disease risk; and legal, societal and economic management.
Additionally, the committee endorsed new prevention and monitoring measures associated with Thailand’s entry procedures. Proof of vaccination or ATK test results will no longer be needed, though travelers may still be subject to inspections if they exhibit symptoms of hazardous or emerging diseases. (NNT)
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