Live your lives normally, but carefully, says Vachira director. “Don’t be careless. Don’t panic. Live with COVID-19,” Dr Weerasak said in a video posted over the weekend. “Safely expect the COVID-19 situation to last another year,” he said plainly. Phuket News

Live your lives normally, but carefully, says Vachira director

PHUKET: The Director of Vachira Phuket Hospital, Dr Weerasak Lorthongkham has come forward to urge people to go ahead and live their normal lives, but remain vigilant against the spread of COVID-19.

"Don't be careless. Don't panic. Live with COVID-19," Dr Weerasak said in a video posted over the weekend.

"Safely expect the COVID-19 situation to last another year," he said plainly.

However, Dr Weerasak added that under the current progress made by the mass vaccination campaign in Phuket "about 80-90% of people in the province are immune to the coronavirus".

He also noted that more than 15,000 people have been infected in Phuket and recovered, wheil the number of new cases each day had fallen below 100.

"People have been coming to Phuket for weeks, so let's be ready and think that the infection is everywhere in Phuket and take precautions, both at work and with the family. We are asking everyone to remind themselves about preventing the spread of COVID-19, but we do not want people to panic about the current rate of infections," he said.

Dr Weerasak asked people to be ready for any outbreaks that may occur, and specifically asked parents to have a plan ready in case their child contracts COVID-19 from school, especially since in-person classes resumed at most schools on Nov 1.

He also asked island residents not to be frightened of infections being brought in by international arrivals.

"Tourism resuming in Phuket was inevitable. The arrivals coming from abroad, both Thais and foreigners, have had vaccinations and swab tests before entering. The infection rate among international arrivals is only 0.3%, much less than the 5% infection rate in Phuket," he said.

People who test positive via home tests with ATKs (antigen test kits) are urged to contact the Aunjai Clinic, Dr Weerasak said.

"Take medicine to take care of yourself and get back to normal life, life must go on," he said.

"We do not have to let our guard down to safely live with COVID, with awareness but not panic," Dr Weerasak concluded.