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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010342

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The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) temporarily suspended the Test & Go scheme on Tuesday as Covid-19 cases among foreigners visiting Thailand had risen, Public Health Commission vice chairman Dr Chalermchai Boonyaleephan said on Thursday.

In a post on the Blockdit platform, he said Thailand had reopened on November 1 as the number of Covid-19 infections declined after hitting the highest point during the August 13-18 period due to the Delta strain.

He said the Test & Go scheme went well until the World Health Organisation announced on November 26 that the latest Covid-19 variant, Omicron, was a variant of concern.

“After that, Omicron has spread to almost 100 countries and Covid-19 cases in many nations have skyrocketed, so we have had to reconsider our screening methods,” he explained.

Chalermchai said Covid-19 cases among foreigners visiting Thailand in the first half of December was 1.7 times higher than in November.

Of these, virus cases among foreign visitors under the Test & Go scheme have increased by 1.9 times, and by 1.1 per cent among foreigners entering via the Sandbox scheme.

He said the CCSA’s move to temporarily suspend the Test & Go programme was a good decision as patients infected with Omicron developed mild or no symptoms and would test negative the first time.

“Therefore, we must wait for the CCSA to re-evaluate Covid-19 preventive measures to deal with the Omicron variant,” he added.

Related stories:

• Omicron less severe than Delta, top health official says citing current data
• Royal Gazette publishes CCSA’s Test & Go announcement
• Three Sinovac jabs provide 94% immunity against Omicron, doctor claims citing study

Published : December 23, 2021

By : THE NATION