The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that the Thai government tighten existing measures to control the COVID-19 outbreak, similar to the initial response to last year’s first wave.
Dr Richard Brown, Health Emergencies program manager of the WHO’s Thailand office, said the main reason for Thailand’s problems was the emergence of the new variants.
He explained that, although the new variants are more infectious, the modes of transmission have not changed, so existing protocols should be tightened to control its spread. There is a big responsibility on the public to apply at least the basic measures to stop infections. If everyone can do this, it can break the chain of transmission, he said.
Meanwhile, National Vaccine Institute Director Dr Nakorn Premsri admitted that the first-wave measures went well thanks to cooperation from various sectors, particularly the government and the public, adding that, no matter how good the measures are, without the backing of the public Thailand may face an even more serious level of contagion, as has happened in other countries. (NNT)