Thailand: Covid to be declared endemic by end-2022

• Health permanent secretary Kiattiphum Wongrajit announced on 27 Jan 22 that the Public Health Ministry plans to declare Covid-19 an endemic disease by end-2022, using its own criteria and with or without World Health Organization confirmation.
• The criteria were – no more than 10,000 new cases a day, the fatality rate does not exceed 0.1% and more than 80% of at-risk people have received two doses of vaccine, he said.
• The Public Health Ministry was of the view that Covid-19 had spread for over two years, trends showed the disease was under control and was now not too severe.
• “In principle, the disease could spread but is not severe. The fatality rate is acceptable. There can be waves of the disease. But importantly, people must have adequate immunity. People must be vaccinated, and treatment systems efficient. After these criteria have been met for a while, this disease can be declared endemic in Thailand”, Dr Kiattiphum said.

External Link : https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2254503/covid-to-be-declared-endemic-by-years-end-in-thailand