Over the past several months, the government has tried to give the impression that the pandemic is under control and that the war against the coronavirus is almost over. But the reality is the opposite.
In fact, a new wave of the pandemic is hitting people hard, albeit silently since the government is hiding the truth. Instead, it keeps releasing feel-good information -- low daily infection numbers of around 1,000-2,000 cases, and issuing statements supporting the lifting of restrictions while insisting the economy will soon strengthen.
For some time, the Public Health Ministry has planned to downgrade Covid-19 to an endemic, but it could not do so. It has merely insisted the country stands ready for post-pandemic conditions. But the pandemic has shown no signs of diminishing. With the emergence of Omicron, particularly the BA.4/BA.5 variants which spread 1.5 times quicker than previous strains, large numbers have been infected.
Some well-known doctors have provided a clearer picture of the situation, citing high caseloads at hospitals. Siriraj and the Rural Doctor Society say there are 50,000 new cases a day, not a few thousand as per the government. And the variants are not as tame as originally believed. With such strong evidence, Deputy Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha has admitted there is some disparity in the data and that the exact number of Covid-19 patients is much higher than government projections. But still, the government continues doing what it does.
It's obvious the government has to play up "feel-good'' factors as a shield against the opposition in the leadup to the no-confidence showdown which begins next week. Or probably, it wants people to keep up business-as-usual practices so as to avoid further stress on the economy and the possibility of more lockdowns. But whatever the reasoning, such a cover-up has backfired. As people are not aware of the true extent of the situation, many have lowered their guard which has caused the virus to spread. As the ministry maintains low Covid-19 figures, people find out the truth the hard way when those around them, their families and friends, and office colleagues, catch the virus.
Under growing pressure, the Medical Science Department has admitted that the new variants are not as mild as previously believed. Yet, in an about-face gesture, it said it needs more information to confirm their seriousness and that the new strains are merely "variants of concern" for Bangkok and surrounding provinces. The pandemic may peak in the month of September, the department also added. Perhaps the department has concealed some facts out of concern that the public may panic. But not speaking the truth fully equals telling a lie. The department has deliberately downplayed the impact of the virus, rather than being straightforward, on several occasions. It's necessary for people to know the truth, so they are able to respond appropriately. An unaware public will fail to take the required precautions and the spread will only worsen.
So we now see communication failures as before. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) keeps manipulating pandemic information, presenting low figures as if it were able to control the situation when in reality it cannot. As a result, we are experiencing clusters in schools with children unknowingly contracting the virus from their parents and transmitting it to their classmates at school or vice versa. The number of infection cases at schools is enormous but the government never admits it. Instead, the Education Ministry has shamefully lied about the pandemic, saying only a few students (200 from 1.03 million students across the country) fall sick per day while widespread infection has been reported in state and private schools. Some city schools have already switched back to online classes.
It's a disappointment that years after combating Covid-19, the authorities' response remains sluggish. There are complaints about long waits for medication at state hospitals and other inconveniences. For instance, instead of using a mail system, patients or their families are required to appear in person, and that means infection risks and wider virus spread. Some patients are prescribed anti-cough medication and painkillers, while a few received fah talai jone, instead of anti-virus drugs like favipiravir or molnupiravir as in the case of Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul who got six vaccines and does not belong to the priority at-risk "608 group".
There are grounds to believe that the government's plan to categorise the virus as endemic derives from a need to rid itself of a budget burden, as it can remove some health benefits from the health coverage system. As a result, the Health Ministry has cut contract clinics or hospitals which help provide consultations and prescriptions while it has also terminated support for home isolation systems and also state-sponsored hospitals. These are vital to help curb the virus given the fact that living conditions in some families make it impossible to respect social distancing or isolation.
There are also reports that some private hospitals have cashed in on Covid-19, providing treatment packages that include medications at high cost. While Mr Anutin insists that private hospitals are not allowed to sell certain anti-virus drugs, in reality, people who need the medication quickly, have no choice but to go to private hospitals and pay.
Like it or not, we have to live with Covid-19. The initial belief about herd immunity seems false. Instead, the World Health Organization warns of further mutations and the virus will remain a health threat. As the coronavirus is still rampant, the government should consider reinstating the home isolation system or "hospitels" which make distancing more possible, and easier to contain the pandemic. There is no need to fear losing face. The only need for us is to face reality.
Chairith Yonpiam is assistant news editor, Bangkok Post.
