Thai CCSA plans to “review” quarantine from risky countries, possibly increase to 21 days to stop South African variant - Pattaya News

Thai CCSA plans to "review" quarantine from risky countries, possibly increase to 21 days to stop South African variant

Monday, 15 February 2021, 14:35

Thailand-

At a press conference this morning the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced that they are planning to review quarantine rules for people entering from risky countries where a South African variant of the Covid-19 virus has caused concern from many epidemiologists.

Dr. Apisamai Srirangsan, the assistant spokesman of the CCSA, stated that this follows the case of a Thai national being repatriated from Tanzania who tested positive for the South African variant. The patient is asymptomatic and in quarantine and no risk to the general public.

The South African variant, according to Apisamai, has shown reduced efficacy to some vaccines on the market and also appears to spread much easier than other strains. This does not, however, mean the strain is more deadly.

Dr. Apisamai stated that the CCSA will review the quarantine rules at meetings this week and consider a proposal for increasing quarantine for those entering Thailand from 14 days to 21 days from "risky countries and people with the South African variant." She did not provide a list of the countries at the time of the press conference that would be considered for longer quarantines.

The Pattaya News notes this is only a proposal at this time and may or may not become a rule.