Covid fear lingers in Krabi despite face mask mandate being eased. DESPITE the government having announced on Friday that people may now take off their face masks, many tourist business operators and workers in Krabi province are still worried about catching Covid-19 because there are people doing so everyday and the virus is also mutating, TV Channel 7 said today (June 27). - Thai Newsroom

Covid fear lingers in Krabi despite face mask mandate being eased

June 27, 2022  TNR Staff

DESPITE the government having announced on Friday that people may now take off their face masks, many tourist business operators and workers in Krabi province are still worried about catching Covid-19 because there are people doing so everyday and the virus is also mutating, TV Channel 7 said today (June 27).

In lifting the face mask mandate the government said those who are vulnerable and infected should continue wearing them and while it is now up to the rest of the general public whether they do so or not, they were told these masks are essential in crowded or poorly ventilated places.

Reporters from this TV channel visited some popular tourist spots in this southern province and saw that some foreign tourists had already started taking off their face masks but Thai tourists were still wearing them.

They then questioned some tourist business operators and workers who said they remained worried about Covid bouncing back and spreading rapidly again with added fear of this virus mutating.

Mr. Chinnupong Sakchan, 41, who operates a shuttle van from Krabi International Airport to town said he was not convinced that the Covid outbreak had eased and told all tourists using his service they had to wear a face mask throughout the ride.

A masseuse at an Ao Nang beach parlour said she continued wearing a face mask as she has since the start of the pandemic even though it is no longer compulsory to do so. Where the customers are concerned, some wear the mask, others don't with the parlour not forcing anyone on this issue because it is their right to do so or not.

However she added that she remained worried about Covid resurging again.

Meanwhile the Public Health Ministry said this morning that there were 1,735 Covid cases and 15 deaths over the past 24 hours with this taking the cumulative confirmed total since Jan. 1 to 2,292,455 and since the start of the pandemic 4,515,890.

Today's 15 fatalities raised the death toll to 30,607.

Another 2,138 patients were cured taking total recoveries since Jan. 1 to  2,293,894 while 22,895 patients are still undergoing treatment.