Most people do not need to get a booster against the latest strain of Covid-19 as the symptoms are mild, virologist Yong Poovorawan said.

Dr Yong, from Chulalongkorn University, said the severity of the virus has decreased thanks to the high levels of vaccinations and herd immunity.

Nearly 90% of the population have now been infected by the virus.

As Covid-19 has become endemic, seasonal flare-ups are to be expected like other respiratory diseases. In Thailand, these outbreaks will be during the rainy season, while countries with long winters will see a surge of infections due to the cold.

Dr Yong said the number of deaths from Covid-19 this year should not exceed 300, similar to influenza.

Asked about Covid-19 vaccines, Dr Yong said they are no longer free of charge.

There is no need for healthy people to get booster shots due to the relatively high price, he said.

The Department of Disease Control released a weekly report on the Covid-19 infections nationwide between May 26 and June 1. It found 1,863 cases are being treated in hospitals, with a weekly average of six deaths.

The number of cases has reached 20,483, with 132 deaths.