There has been a global uptick in COVID-19 infections, therefore people are being warned to take extra care while outside in the winter. The DMS is encouraging anyone who are able to get a booster vaccine, particularly the elderly, to do so as quickly as possible.
DMS Director-General Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn reassured the public that there will be no shortage of hospital beds in the Greater Bangkok area. The DMS has also made sure that there are enough supplies of anti-COVID medicine for patients.
Dr. Thongchai warned that more instances of COVID will likely be reported along with an increase in respiratory tract and cold patients as we transition from wet to cold weather. He urged the general population to take care of themselves and to take precautions. Because the present rate of follow-up vaccines is insufficient, people are also advised to sign up for booster doses.
New sub-variants of COVID have emerged and are more easily transmitted and are able to evade the human immune system, which the DMS head also discussed. He said the existing evidence suggests the sub-variants are less virulent than earlier strains, and that they have not been proven to produce more severe symptoms. In most cases, individuals most in need of medical attention and care have been members of marginalized communities who are most susceptible to experiencing life-threatening illnesses. Many others had either either never been vaccinated or hadn’t gotten a booster shot in a while.
Booster dosages have reached 32 million as of November 19, well short of the goal of covering at least 50% of the population.
