Covid hotline for children, elderly, disabled

Covid hotline for children, elderly, disabled

The Social Development and Human Security Ministry has launched a new 24-hour call-line, hotline 1300, to provide help for children, the elderly and the disabled who are affected by the Covid-19 outbreak, even if they are not themselves infected with the virus.

Government deputy spokeswoman  Ratchada Thanadirek said on Monday the new hotline would provide assistance for people reliant on other people who have caught the disease, leaving them helpless.

To help these people, Social Development and Human Security Minister Juti Krairiksh had ordered the opening of hotline 1300 to take calls for help.

In Bangkok and surrounding provinces, the ministry had prepared facilities to take care of them. For instance, girls without guardians may be put in the care of the Rajvithi Home for Girls in Bangkok and boys in the Pak Kret Home for Boys in Nonthaburi and Prachabodi Institute in Pathum Thani.

The elderly could be sent to the Din Daeng shelter for travellers in Bangkok and the training centre for the elderly in Bang Lamung, Chon Buri, while the disabled could be catered for at  the Vocational Rehabilitation Centre for People with Disabilities in Phra Pradaeng, Samut Prakan, Ms Ratchada said.

In case of children, the elderly or disabled needing help because they are infected with Covid-19, the ministry would coordinate with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and Public Health Ministry to admit them to hospitals for treatment.

The elderly and people with seven underlying diseases who cannot register for Covid vaccination themselves could also call hotline 1300 for assistance. The Public Health Ministry would be asked to help them with registration.

"Hotline 1300 is ready to help all people who are fragile," Ms Ratchada said.

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