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)
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.

Vocabulary

  • accordingly (adv): for that reason - ตามนั้น, ดังนั้น, เช่นนั้น
  • alert: a warning to people to be prepared to deal with something dangerous - การเตือนให้ระวัง
  • booster (noun): something that gives extra strength - สิ่งที่เพิ่มกำลังหรือความแข็งแรง
  • comprise: to consist or be made up of two or more things - ประกอบด้วย
  • dependent: needing the support of something or someone in order to continue existing or operating - ต้องอาศัย
  • detected: noticed, discovered or found out - จับได้ พบได้
  • ease (verb): decrease, fall - ลดลง
  • focus: to give attention, effort, etc. to one particular subject, situation or person rather than another - เพ่งความสนใจ
  • inflammation: a red, painful and often swollen area in or on a part of your body - การอักเสบ
  • nationwide: throughout a whole country - ทั่วทั้งประเทศ
  • on-site: at a particular place -
  • pneumonia (noun): a serious illness affecting one or both lungs that makes breathing difficult - โรคปอดบวม
  • resume: to begin again after stopping for a period of time - เริ่มอีกครั้ง, กลับมาอีกครั้ง
  • underlying (adj): important in a situation but not always easily noticed or stated clearly; existing under the surface of something else - ที่สำคัญและซ่อนอยู่, ที่อยู่ในตำแหน่งต่ำกว่า
  • ventilator (noun): a piece of equipment with a pump that helps somebody to breathe by sending air in and out of their lungs - เครื่องช่วยหายใจ
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