In response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the Department of Public Health has raised its alert level for COVID-19 to level 4. The department’s release states that no containment will be implemented during this or the fifth outbreak but instead provides for disease prevention measures, closing or restricting high-risk locations, implementing the work-at-home model, and recommending postponement of interprovincial travel.
Kiatiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, said the Ministry of Public Health has raised its alert level for COVID-19 from level 3 to level 4, which involves additional health measures.
Some locations identified as having a high risk of spreading the coronavirus may be closed, and those locations allowed to remain open may be subject to more restrictive measures. Authorities will encourage the postponement of interprovincial travel of people and international travel while maintaining the quarantine requirement for international arrivals.
Dr. Kiatiphum strongly advised the public and operators of various facilities to strictly adhere to VUCA, which includes vaccination, adherence to universal prevention guidelines and the COVID Free Setting protocol, and regular Covid testing with ATK kits.
The latter presented an update on the current Covid situation, indicating that the number of critical patients and deaths has decreased, but new infections have quickly re-emerged. It was due to the use of restaurants that were effectively run as bars. Other transmitting sources have been parties and religious events where too few precautions have been taken. Travel has also contributed to the spread of coronavirus.
Dr. Kiatiphum wants people returning to Bangkok from the provinces to be monitored for 14 days, saying it would be best if they could work at home. He urged these travelers to routinely use ATK kits to test themselves within the first week of their return. Thanks to that, infections could be detected faster, disease prevention and control measures could be taken without delay
In addition, he pointed out that when contamination is found, local and provincial authorities must strictly enforce the law, and restaurants and other service establishments must comply with the COVID Free Setting directive.