New help centre for Covid-affected children

A new centre has been set up to receive information about children affected by Covid-19 throughout the country, so that assistance can be provided in a timely manner, government deputy spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Wednesday.

Ms Traisuree said the centre is a collaboration of four agencies - the Department of Children and Youth of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, the Equal Education Fund, the Institute of Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Unicef.

It would compile data on children affected by the Covid-19 pandemic throughout the country.

With that information, proper and timely action could be taken by local administration officials, social development and human security volunteers, community volunteers and volunteer teachers in the formal and non-formal systems to assist affected children and ensure they were not left helpless.

The government encourages people throughout the country to send information about children in these circumstance to the centre via LINE @savekidscovid19 or call hotline number 1300, she said. They can also give the information to child and family welfare homes of the Department of Children and Youth in all 77 provinces.

According to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, 79,989 children were infected with Covid-19 during the period Jan 1-Aug 10 this year - 18,260 in Bangkok and 61,729 in other provinces, she said.

There were many other children who had been affected by the pandemic and left without guardians when  their parents were infected or died from Covid-19.

Therefore, information was needed so that assistance could be provided as soon as possible, Ms Traisuree said.