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Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post
National

Virus alert may be lowered

A child in full protective gear is pushed on a toddler's scooter as his family arrives at Suvarnabhumi airport on Monday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)

The Public Health Ministry will consider lowering its Covid-19 alert to Level 2 this week as daily caseloads continue to fall.

Chakrarat Pittayawonganon of the Department of Disease Control said on Monday that the alert is currently at Level 3.

He said the focus will be on warning the high-risk "608'' group and those who have not received booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines ahead of visiting high-risk venues such as night entertainment establishments.

The 608 group comprises people aged 60 and older, those with underlying conditions and pregnant women.

However, the ministry will consider lowering the alert to Level 2 this week and decide which provinces will be assigned Level 2 status, Dr Chakrarat said.

He further said the number of patients with pneumonia, patients dependent on ventilators and the number of new fatalities is declining at a slow pace.

A total of 882 patients with lung inflammation, 425 on ventilators and 26 deaths were reported on Monday.

Most new fatalities were people aged 70 years and older and over half of them were unvaccinated, Dr Chakrarat said, adding that it is important for the high-risk group to be vaccinated and receive booster shots to prevent the worst effects of the virus.

After schools nationwide resumed on-site learning at the start of the new academic year on May 17, infection rates detected in some schools are still low, he said.

However, it is still necessary to speed up vaccinations for students to lift double-dose and booster rates among them, he said.

"The overall [Covid-19] situation in Thailand is starting to ease. Therefore, Thailand will revise its report on daily infection numbers accordingly.

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