Health officials nationwide have been ordered to watch for new Covid-19 outbreaks and clusters, and prepare medication and equipment for inpatients, in the wake of Songkran festivities.

Health permanent secretary Opas Karnkawinpong gave details on Monday.

He said medical and health personnel were instructed to keep local communities informed, encourage annual vaccination against Covid-19  and ensure adequate medical supplies and equipment were on hand and hospital beds available for severely ill Covid-19 patients.

Samples must be taken from patients who die after covid infection, for examination for virus strains, and all severe cases and fatalities investigated.

During this year's Songkran festival, crowds gathered for outside activities and family get togethers without wearing face masks. That posed a higher risk of transmission and a likely increase in new cases, Dr Opas said.

Songkran revellers should monitor their health for seven days and stay clear of elderly people and others with underlying illnesses. If they feel ill, they should take an antigen test, he said.

Dr Opas said people were still advised to wear face masks in crowded places and get an annual vaccine shot. People whose antibodies could not be stimulated should be treated with a long-acting antibody (LAAB).

Dr Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences, said Omicron remained the dominant variant of Covid-19 and its XBB.1.16 subvariant should be dominant in the future.

There was no evidence the new subvariant was more severe than the currently dominant Omicron subvariants in terms of antibody avoidance and symptoms, he said.

Source:
courtesy of BANGKOK POST

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