Over 2,500 Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms who are waiting for a hospital bed will be included in the National Health Security Office's (NHSO) home and community isolation scheme instead.
NHSO secretary-general, Jadej Thammatach-aree, said medical support will be provided at patients' homes, so they can begin recuperating instead of waiting for a hospital bed that ultimately may not be available in a timely manner.
As such, they won't be deprived of medical attention while in isolation -- either in their own homes or elsewhere in their community, such as temples or school buildings which have been designated as isolation sites.
The NHSO secretary-general said over 2,500 people have contacted the NHSO for assistance in locating and securing a hospital bed.
However, starting today, they will automatically be included in the home isolation scheme.
Patients with moderate or severe symptoms, however, won't be included in the programme as they require medical care which can only be provided in hospitals, he said.
The NHSO has a network of 204 community clinics in Bangkok alone, which can take up to 40,000 Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms under the isolation scheme, he said.
Patients under home or community isolation will receive three meals a day, medication to treat their symptoms and basic equipment to monitor their condition, Dr Jadej said, adding a doctor will check in once a day through video call.
To help curb the spread of Covid-19, the NHSO, along with the Institute for Urban Disease Control and Prevention and Mahidol University, will test 10,000 people each day at high-risk areas.