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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000562

Bangkok launches free Covid testing in battle against contagion

Free Covid-19 testing has been launched at two centres in Bangkok to combat the wave of infections spreading across the capital.

The Thai-Japan Stadium in Din Daeng and the Pathum Thani Vocational College are offering free tests to informal workers and people covered by social security from today until May 11.

The service at the Thai-Japan Stadium runs from 8am to 4pm and has capacity to test 3,000 people each day.

Pathum Thani Vocational College can test up to 1,000 people per day.

A free test can be booked by visiting https://sso.icntracking.com/icntracking/self_register.php and entering your 13-digit national ID number or passport number, then filling out the risk assessment form.

Once the Covid-19 test is completed, the recipient can return home immediately as the results will be sent via SMS to the phone number they provide.

Bangkok logged 789 new virus cases on Wednesday, with another 587 found in adjacent provinces.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000561

Bangkok shifts Covid target as Favipiravir ammunition arrives

Bangkok has shifted its strategy to combat Covid-19 with Favipiravir after procuring more than 600,000 doses of the drug, city governor Aswin Kwanmuang said on Wednesday.

Aswin said health officials had approved using the antiviral drug on so-called “green” category patients with mild or no symptoms of Covid-19.

Previously, Favipiravir was only administered to patients suffering the more serious yellow and red levels of symptoms, including pneumonia.

Priority for Favipiravir treatment will also be given to patients who have a higher viral load.

Receiving an early course of the drug over five to 10 days should help prevent their symptoms progressing to the yellow or red level, say medics.

Patients in the green category must also give consent for treatment with Favipiravir.

Of the total 1,478 Covid-19 patients currently being treated in Bangkok hospitals, 1,192 are in the green category, 199 in the yellow, and 38 in the red category.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000560

Cabinet postpones controversial data law for another year

The Cabinet has postponed enforcement of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) for another year, after the business sector complained compliance with the law would be difficult during the Covid-19 crisis.

The postponement was requested by the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry.

DES Minister Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn said the PDPA (2019) will create effective protection of personal information, compliance with international standards, and remedies for infringements on personal data.

However, the recent surge in Covid-19 cases had affected the economy and society, impacting the ability of people and businesses to take steps necessary to comply with the new law, explained the ministry.

“The business sector represented by the Federation of Thai Industries [FTI], Chamber of Commerce and tourism association groups have asked the government to mitigate the impacts that may arise from their lack of readiness to comply with the details of this law,” Chaiwut said.

The FTI’s chairman pointed out that failure to comply with the law carries a jail sentence, which is a higher penalty than stipulated by similar laws in other countries.

The PPDA has drawn criticism for containing harsh criminal penalties.

The Cabinet first postponed enactment of the law in May 2020.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000559

Controls on food delivery staff tightened as Covid spreads in Bangkok

The Department of Health on Wednesday tightened Covid-19 preventive measures for delivery service operators in a bid to gain confidence among customers.

The move follows claims on social media that the Covid-19 outbreak in Bangkok’s Klong Toei slums was caused by residents there who work as food delivery staff.

The claims came with advice not to use delivery services as this could cause the virus to spread further.

The Public Health Ministry has issued four new guidelines for delivery service operators as follows:

1. Strictly obey measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.

2. Screen delivery staff daily for symptoms.

3. Follow up on staff’s symptoms or risky behaviour by assessing them via the Thai Save Thai website or other means.

4. Record timelines of delivery staff each day.

The government is also considering whether to vaccinate delivery staff as a priority, said Health Department director-general Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai.

He added that even there is no evidence Covid-19 can be transmitted by food, restaurants providing a delivery service and people who use the service must comply with Public Health Ministry measures:

1. Restaurant operators must follow, study and publicise Covid-related information to delivery staff, and instruct them to maintain at least one-metre distance from customers and not place food on the floor.

2. Restaurants must be clean and food must be cooked at a minimum 70 degrees Celsius for more than five minutes.

3. Delivery staff must wear face masks, wash their hands, monitor themselves for symptoms regularly and see the doctor immediately if they are at risk of infection.

4. Customers must prepare food containers, wear face masks, maintain at least one-metre distance from delivery staff, wash hands after receiving food, and use e-payment or the exact amount of cash for the bill.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000551

Resplendent light decorations mark His Majesty King Rama X’s Coronation Day

During the reign of His Majesty the late King Rama IX, Coronation Day was celebrated on May 5 each year in the past, but it has now changed to May 4 to mark the reign of His Majesty King Rama X.

The Nation Thailand invites you to catch a glimpse of beautiful light decorations to mark Coronation Day, which fell on Tuesday this year.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000555

Cash handouts, co-payment scheme extended as Covid surge hits economy

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved more cash handouts via the Rao Chana (We Win) and Rao Rak Kan (We Love Each Other) Covid-relief schemes. Each person registered for the schemes will receive a total of THB2,000 before the end of June, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The government will also spend around THB140 billion for other relief schemes once the Covid-19 crisis eases. Under the plan, holders of state welfare cards will receive THB200 per month from July to December.

Meanwhile, the government plans to launch phase 3 of the Khon La Khrueng co-payment campaign covering 31 million people. Like the previous phases, the campaign will cover half the expenses of shopping for daily necessities. Shoppers will receive the subsidy via e-vouchers.

The moves come after the third wave of Covid-19 emerged in April, triggering partial lockdowns and more misery for the economy.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000554

Pfizer confirms vaccine deal with Thailand not done yet

Pfizer confirmed on Wednesday that its vaccine had not yet been imported into Thailand. The producer added that it was still in talks with the Thai Public Health Ministry on a deal to purchase the vaccine.

Pfizer made the announcement after the Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker website listed Thailand as one of the countries that had approved the Pfizer vaccine.

Also, the vaccine producer stated that it will sell its products only to the government.

The government is seeking to procure 5-10 million doses of Pfizer vaccine as part of its plan to provide 100 million shots to inoculate 50 million people by the end of the year.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000553

No Pfizer vaccine in Thailand yet, insists FDA

No Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine has been imported by Thailand, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Wednesday in response to comments made by former PM Thaksin Shinawatra.

In comments via the Clubhouse application, Thaksin said Thailand was one of the countries that had approved the Pfizer vaccine according to the Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker website.

Thaksin’s comment had netizens asking whether the vaccine had been secretly approved and imported.

However, FDA secretary-general Dr Paisan Dankum said the vaccine has not been brought into Thailand or even approved, despite what the website shows.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000552

Bangkok cabbie finds perfect way of protecting himself

A cabbie from the Trumq Taxi company in Bangkok has found a new way of protecting himself – partitioning off the driver’s area with clear plastic.

Passengers have the option of dropping their fare in a bag on the front passenger’s seat or paying online by scanning the provided QR code.

The driver has also provided hand-sanitising gel and drinking water for passengers.

Bangkok cabbie finds perfect way of protecting himself

Cabbie Nakarin Changsongsin, 54, said he got this idea from the negative/positive pressure rooms in hospitals, adding that he had installed the partition when Covid-19 arrived in Thailand last year.

Bangkok cabbie finds perfect way of protecting himself

“The taxi service is also offering discounts to passengers,” he added.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000550

Tracking Covid-19 vaccines and approvals worldwide

Most governments are paying close attention to the development and production of Covid-19 vaccines, but it is not an easy task because time and money is needed to conduct clinical tries.

The Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker website provides clear, comprehensive updates about the development of vaccines and approvals worldwide.

The website was developed by professors from the McGill University’s School of Population and Global Health, as well as a team of experts in epidemiology, vaccinology, public health, infectious diseases, biostatistics and related fields.

“We developed the Covid-19 vaccine trials and approvals database for this site from publicly available data sources,” the group said.

According to the website on Wednesday, 326 Covid-19 vaccines were under clinical trials, 14 vaccines had been approved and five vaccines were no longer progressing.

Here are the 14 vaccines approved by at least one country:

1. Anhui Zhifei Longcom: RBD-Dimer

2. Bharat Biotech: Covaxin

3. CanSino: Ad5-nCoV

4. Chumakov Center: KoviVac

5. FBRI: EpiVacCorona

6. Gamaleya: Sputnik V

7. Pfizer/BioNTech: BNT162b2

8. Serum Institute of India: Covishield

9. Sinopharm (Wuhan): Inactivated (Vero Cells)

10. Sinovac: CoronaVac

11. Oxford/AstraZeneca: AZD1222

12. Moderna: mRNA-1273

13. Janssen (Johnson & Johnson): Ad26.COV2.S

14. Sinopharm (Beijing): BBIBP-CorV

Five of these vaccines have been approved by Thailand:

• Sinovac: CoronaVac

Approved in 24 countries

• Oxford/AstraZeneca: AZD1222

Approved in 93 countries

• Pfizer/BioNTech: BNT162b2

Approved in 85 countries

• Moderna: mRNA-1273

Approved in 46 countries

• Janssen (Johnson & Johnson): Ad26.COV2.S

Approved in 41 countries

However, Thailand currently only has supplies of Sinovac and AstraZeneca.

Thailand is also conducting clinical trials on two vaccines:

• Chulalongkorn University: ChulaCov19

• Mahidol University: NDV-HXP-S

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation