Bangkok –
Thailand's Covid-19 situation is improving and nearly calling the disease 'endemic' soon, the Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated today, May 11th.
The Minister told the Associated Press after the meeting of the National Communicable Disease Committee that the situation of Covid-19 infections has improved and Thailand is reaching closer to announcing the disease as endemic every moment.
However, Anutin stressed that the exact timeframe of the announcement cannot be set in stone just yet. Anutin stated that there was no guarantee of labeling Covid-19 endemic within the month of July.
The National Communicable Disease Committee also acknowledged the readiness of all parties to reopen their businesses when the country is ready to fully reopen and welcome foreign tourists, Anutin stated. The Committee today also discussed the possibility of a legal entertainment venues/bars reopening and how to implement the facial mask mandate among tourists traveling to Thailand, stressing they were concerned many tourists were not wearing masks and that Thailand was not yet ready to lift or ease mandates. Apart from that, gathering and other similar activities can be done now under the preventive measures.
The Minister also mentioned that the Thai FDA has now approved an extension of the age registration of two vaccines; Covovax and Spikevax. A single dose of the Covovax vaccine will now be able to be injected into children aged 12 years or more from previously being only registered at 18 years old. A half dose of Moderna's Spikevax vaccine will now be effective for children aged 6 to 17 years.