Thailand sets criteria to downgrade COVID-19 to endemic

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The committee’s meeting chaired by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakulon Thursday considered criteria for the COVID-19 status as an endemic disease.

The National Communicable Disease Committee agrees to redefine COVID-19 as an endemic disease when situations meet criteria.

The committee’s meeting chaired by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakulon Thursday considered criteria for the COVID-19 status as an endemic disease. They include the new caseloads that do not exceed 10,000 a day, the fatality rate of less than 0.1%, less than 10% of COVID-19 cases being admitted to hospitals, enough immunity among people and more than 80% of vulnerable people receiving at least two COVID-19 vaccine doses.



When the criteria are met, the Public Health Ministry will announce the revised status of COVID-19.
DrKiattiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for public health, said that more than 90% of present COVID-19 cases resulted from infection with the Omicron variant.

He also said that the Public Health Ministry planned to report only the number of severely ill COVID-19 patients instead of daily new caseloads. (TNA)

Dr Kiattiphum said that more than 90% of present COVID-19 cases resulted from infection with the Omicron variant.