The Public Health Ministry is urging people to get boosters within four months of receiving their last Covid-19 vaccination as the number of infections is back on the rise.
Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary for the Public Health Ministry, said yesterday at a press briefing that the pandemic situation is not overly concerning despite the recent uptick.
He said mutated sub-variants are less severe than previous incarnations of the virus, which has become an endemic disease similar to influenza and can be mitigated by vaccination.
Dr Opas said that from Nov 27 to Dec 3, 105 patients died of Covid-19 in the kingdom, almost all in vulnerable groups, while 51% had not been vaccinated. Only 30% were fully vaccinated, 14% had received a booster more than three months prior, and 5% had been given a single dose.
The number of daily infections has risen from 1,000 people to 10,000 people a day on average, he said, adding this is why the Public Health Ministry is encouraging people to get boosters.
"Any brand of vaccine is recommended for a booster shot. Scholars agree the existing vaccines and bivalent vaccines have similar efficacy," said Dr Opas.
According to the Sentinel Surveillance of Covid-19 among communities of migrant workers, medical workers, markets and slums, the number of infected people is not increasing significantly.
Dr Opas said some countries are facing a surge in cases. Japan has seen an average of 600,000-700,000 patients a day, while South Korea is seeing 300,000-400,000, France 400,000, the US 300,000, and Brazil 200,000 a day.
In Thailand, 533 Covid-19 patients are now being treated for lung infections, occupying 7.3% of hospital beds, he said.
Even though the number of fatalities and patients developing critical conditions is likely to rise, the ministry deems the situation manageable, he insisted.
