1. The number of new confirmed cases today is 10,288 cases. There are currently 120,156 active cases with 12,494 new recoveries and 101 new fatalities. The accumulated number of fatalities is 16,275.
2. Yesterday, a total of 175,926 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered with 62,276 having received their first jabs, and 97,061 having received their second dose, with 16,586 and 3 receiving their third and fourth booster doses, respectively. The aggregate total of vaccines administered stands at roughly 50.56 million does, inclusive of expatriate community.
3. Dr. Taweesilp has shown graphs to stress about the importance of strict compliance with universal protection measures, comparing covid-free setting and covid-free situation and realities on the ground with infection rates somewhat stable and lower death rates than forecast.
4. Earlier this morning the Prime Minister chaired the CCSA General Meeting to consider a number of measures that would be adjusted to enable all of us here in Thailand to better cope with living with COVID-19.
Although the rates of infection in the country have become stable, the fatality rates and other factors continue to call for a limitation on the movements of people. The CCSA General Meeting resolved to extend the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situation from the 1st of October until the 30th of November 2021. This is carried out with a view to enable the transition from the use of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situation until such time that the new Communicable Disease Control Act is fully in place in November. A new body might also be established in lieu of the CCSA as the situation becomes more stable.
A number of measures have also been adjusted starting from the 1st of October 2021 with appropriate physical distancing and preventive measures as decreed by respective province's Communicable Disease Committee including universal prevention and COVID-free setting.
Despite the extension of the Emergency Decree, the curfew hours will be decreased to 10 pm to 4 am starting from the 1st of October, not at 9 pm as it is the case currently. Shopping malls, convenient stores and markets can remain open until 9 pm as opposed to 8 pm. The sales and consumption of alcoholic beverage remains prohibited in the dark red zone. Exhibition centres remain closed for the time being. The adjustment of measures also includes the opening of additional venues including movie theatres, nail salons, health establishments and other types of establishments.
5. A number of provinces involved in the tourism pilot scheme such as the Phuket Sandbox scheme – the so-called Blue Province scheme – are now slated to be open on the 1st of November including Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and other provinces. For the 1st of December, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Sorn, Nakhon Sri Thammarat and Ayutthaya and other provinces will also be open under the same tourism pilot scheme. The entire country will then be open for tourism starting in January 2022, provided that appropriate criteria is met.
6. Quarantine measures for those travelling into Thailand have also been adjusted. These can be separated into two groups. First, those who have vaccine certificates and have duly been vaccinated for over 14 days willbe subject to a minimum of 7 days of quarantine with two RT-PCR tests conducted on the first day of arrival and on the 6th or the 7th day of quarantine. The other group of those who have not received full vaccination travelling into the country via sea or air will be subject to a minimum of 10 days of quarantine and two RT-PCR tests; while those have not received full vaccination travelling into the country by land will be subject to a minimum of 14 days quarantine with two RT-PCR tests.
The alternative quarantine measures have also been relaxed as those in quarantine can now order food for delivery and are also able to exercise while they are in quarantine.
7. The Ministry of Public Health has revealed that the vaccine stockpile will exceed 125 million doses by the end of the year as vaccination picks up pace across all segments of the population. The nationwide inoculation drive is speeding up as more vaccine arrives and the rollout will be accelerated to cover all population segments. COVID-19 vaccinations in Thailand have surpassed 50 million doses after a record 1.44 million doses were administered on Friday alone.
8. In terms of the outlook for vaccine supply from October to December 2021, the plan for October is that the vaccination will have covered at least 50 per cent of both Thais and foreign nationals residing in every province and at least one district with above 70 per cent coverage. A model covid-free district will also be set up in each province. The expansion of vaccine coverage is expected to reach 70 per cent for school age students, those over 60 years of age, and those with 7 underlying diseases, and pregnant women. Booster shots will also be made available to the aforementioned groups. For November, the plan is for the first dose of vaccine to cover at least 70 per cent of each province, especially for children and youngsters aged 12 to 17. For December, the aim is at least 80 per cent of people in each province will have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccines, and 70 per cent of people in each province will have received their second dose. The booster shots will also be available for people in each province.
9. An additional of 60 million doses of AstraZeneca will have arrived in Thailand by the third quarter of 2022. This purchase can also be adjusted to become the second-generation vaccine when and if the research is successful and has duly been approved. Up to 30 to 50 million will have been sent to Thailand by the third quarter of 2022, this procurement can be adjusted to the purchase of pediatric vaccines once the research has duly been approved.
10. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that the purchase of AstraZeneca and Pfizer from Spain and AstraZeneca from Hungary have already been negotiated at a cost-effective price.
Meanwhile, Thai ambassador to the United States, H.E. Manasvi Srisodapol, said US authorities will call a meeting of the Thai-US working group next week, to discuss how to proceed with the US donation of an additional one million doses of vaccines earmarked for Thailand.
11. The Ministry of Public Health is closing down Bussarakham Field Hospital, at Impact Muang Thong Thani exhibition center in Nonthaburi province, because of the decrease in the number of COVID-19 patients. This 3,700-bed hospital will be closed by September 30th, after the last patient was sent home on September 20th. The hospital opened on May 14th and treated 20,436 COVID-19 patients with mild to severe symptoms in Bangkok and its vicinity for over 130 days. New infections in Bangkok have steadily decreased in recent days, with only 5-6 people being admitted to the hospital daily since September as lockdown measures, working-from-home approach and new strategy of sending new patients with mild or no symptoms into home isolation or community isolation have taken effect. Public and private hospitals in Bangkok and surrounding provinces are, thus, no longer overwhelmed.
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