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Vaccination to kick off next month in 5 ‘red zone’ provinces

NationalJan 08. 2021

By THE NATION

Nationwide Covid-19 vaccination will begin in February and target the five “red zone” provinces now under lockdown, the government announced on Friday.

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) said residents of Samut Sakhon, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat would be inoculated from February to April. Most people in Thailand would get Covid-19 shots by the end of this year, it added.

DDC director general Opas Karnkawinpong said the vaccination timeline had been set after health agencies passed the vaccine as safe and effective. He did not mention the name of the vaccine, but Thailand has so far secured 63 million doses from AstraZeneca and Sinovac Biotech.

Opas said Thailand’s vaccination programme will be divided into three phases.

The first phase of 2 million doses will be rolled out in the red-zone provinces from February to April.

The second phase of 26 million doses will target at-risk people – medical personnel and seniors – from May to June.

The third phase will roll out vaccination for the general population by the end of this year.
At-risk people can register for vaccination from the end of January to the beginning of next month, said Opas.

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20 provinces still free of infections in new Covid wave

NationalJan 08. 2021

By THE NATION

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Friday that 20 provinces were still free of Covid-19 patients in the new wave of infections.

The 20 provinces are Si Sa Ket, Yasothon, Nong Bua Lamphu, Bueng Kan, Roi Et, Kalasin, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Phrae, Phayao, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Uthai Thani, Phitsanulok, Phang Nga, Chumphon, Phatthalung, Pattani and Yala.

CCSA also said that no new confirmed cases had been reported over the past seven days in 16 provinces, namely Saraburi, Nakhon Nayok, Sa Kaew, Ubon Ratchathani, Chaiyaphum, Nong Khai, Mahasarakham, Nakhon Sawan, Sukhothai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ranong, Songkhla, Satun, Trang, Narathiwat and Uttaradit.

Meanwhile, there have been no new patients for the past two weeks in Phetchabun, Kamphaeng Phet, Phuket and Udon Thani.

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Hygiene tightened at seafood factories after Samut Sakhon outbreak

NationalJan 08. 2021Dr Vicharn Ingsrisawang

By The Nation

The Fisheries Department has tightened hygiene rules at seafood factories in a bid to gain confidence from consumers and exporters after the Samut Sakhon Covid-19 outbreak.

The outbreak has triggered worries over the safety of Thai fishery products, explained department deputy director general Vicharn Ingsrisawang.

Seafood processing factories have been ordered to frequently disinfect all surfaces at risk of contamination. They must also disinfect containers before loading products and adhere strictly to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) standards.

Meanwhile all workers must be screened and made aware of Covid-19 prevention measures, as per Health Ministry guidelines.

Vicharn said Thai fishery products can be consumed without fear of Covid-19 because there is no evidence that aquatic animals can transmit the virus.

He also advised consumers to buy fishery products with certified production standards, clean them before cooking and use utensils while eating.

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Samut Sakhon governor feeling much better: Siriraj doctor

NationalJan 08. 2021Prof Dr Prasit Watanapa

By The Nation

The condition of Samut Sakhon governor Verasak Vichitsangsri, who was admitted to Siriraj Hospital on December 28, has improved greatly in the past 24 hours, said Prof Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of the Faculty of Medicine.

He said the patient can lie on his back without pain, has no fever and the oxygen level in his bloodstream is stable.

The doctor added that the patient will be closely monitored for another day before the respirator is removed.

Meanwhile, Verasak’s wife Chutiphon, who also contracted the virus, has mostly recovered but must stay in hospital to complete her 14-day quarantine.

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Hundreds evacuated as flash floods sweep deep South

NationalJan 08. 2021

By THE NATION

Nearly 40,000 households in the deep South have been hit by flash flooding after five days of heavy rain, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported on Friday (January 8).

Songkhla, Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani have been lashed by floods and mudslides since Monday, with 37,317 households affected in 27 districts.

Eight districts in Yala province were declared disaster zones on Friday after the Bang Lang Dam in Bannang Sata district overflowed. Some areas, such as Tha Sab subdistrict in Muang district, have reported flood levels of over 1 metre.

The department said it has evacuated 391 flood victims into seven temporary shelters – three in Narathiwat, and two each in Yala and Songkhla. No injuries or deaths have been reported so far.

Flooded communities have been given water pumps survival kits, while local officials are gauging the damage to public infrastructure and people’s houses.

Flood victims can contact the Disaster Hotline on 1784 or via Line ID @1784DDPM.

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BMA getting field hospitals ready to deal with new Covid wave

NationalJan 08. 2021Silapasuai Rawisaengsun

By THE NATION

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said on Friday that field hospitals in the capital can serve up to 1,700 patients, provided they are set up as planned.

Silapasuai Rawisaengsun, BMA’s permanent secretary, said now that the new wave of Covid-19 infections has intensified, the city authorities are preparing medical personnel to deal with the crisis.

She added that BMA has set up a field hospital at the geriatric hospital in Bang Khuntien to deal with asymptomatic patients or those with mild symptoms.

“This field hospital can serve 500 to 600 persons. BMA is surveying other areas that have the potential to be turned into field hospitals,” she added.

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King Power closes Rangnam store for ‘big clean’ after Jurlique staff tests positive

NationalJan 08. 2021

By THE NATION

King Power will keep its store on Bangkok’s Rangnam Road closed from Friday to Sunday after a staff member tested positive for Covid-19.

In a Facebook announcement, King Power said a sales staff at the Jurlique counter had tested positive and the entire store will be closed until Sunday for sterilisation.

Other people at the Jurlique counter have been told to go quarantine themselves for 14 days after undergoing a check-up.

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MorChana app will not reveal personal info, promises DES minister

NationalJan 08. 2021Buddhipongse Punnakanta

By The Nation

The MorChana smartphone application will only track the movements of each individual and not make their personal information public, the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta said on Friday.

He said the application had be designed specifically to protect people’s data, for instance, it only displays a computer code instead of the user’s name.

He added that only the Public Health Ministry’s Department of Disease Control has access to the data, adding that the app aims to raise an alarm if users enter a high-risk area.

Also read: Govt prescribes MorChana app as weapon against virus second wave

The minister also said that if everyone in a restaurant or crowded areas use the app, they will know immediately if a high-risk person has been in the area over the past 14 days.

He also said the app will help shop operators protect themselves by marking customers safe.

Only a few steps are needed to register, he said, adding that the actual image of the user is only required when travelling between provinces.

He said the MorChana app was an option for people with smartphones, adding that those who don’t have a smartphone can still record their movements so the relevant agency can key it into the system.

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Bangkok Airways suspends flights, closes ticketing office due to new Covid wave

NationalJan 08. 2021

By The Nation

In response to the new wave of Covid-19 infections and the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s announcement urging people to avoid inter-provincial travel, Bangkok Airways on Friday suspended a few flights, including Samui-Phuket and Phuket-Hat Yai from January 10-31.

The airline will also temporarily close its ticketing office on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road from January 11 to 31. However, passengers can still reach the airline via:

• Call centre 1771 or (02) 270 6699 between 8am and 8pm.

• Email reservation@bangkokair.com

• Live chat at https://bit.ly/PGLiveChatEN

Passengers affected by temporary flight cancellations can rebook their tickets without any change fees.

Passengers who booked directly through Bangkok Airways can contact the airline, while those who booked through travel agencies are advised to directly contact their agents for further arrangements.

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Shopping malls more dangerous than outdoor markets, says pulmonary expert

NationalJan 08. 2021Dr Manoon Leechawengwongs

By THE NATION

In a Facebook post on Friday, pulmonary disease expert Dr Manoon Leechawengwongs attacked the authorities for allowing shopping complexes and convenience stores to stay open amid the new wave of infections.

In his post, the doctor said that the risk of contracting Covid-19 in closed, badly ventilated areas was 10 times higher than in the open air.

Hence, he said, closing fresh and flea markets to protect people from the virus was ridiculous. Instead, he said, outdoor markets can be made safter if they are opened up to allow free flow of air and both shoppers and sellers wear medical masks.