CCSA subpanel to review easing curbs

CCSA subpanel to review easing curbs

Assistant CCSA spokeswoman Apisamai Srirangson is at a press conference at Government House on Wednesday. (Screenshot)
Assistant CCSA spokeswoman Apisamai Srirangson is at a press conference at Government House on Wednesday. (Screenshot)

A subcommittee of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will consider a proposal to ease some lockdown restrictions on Thursday, as the government pledges to distribute 15 million vaccine doses a month, assistant CCSA spokeswoman Apisamai Srirangson said on Wednesday.

The move, she said, was prompted by the ongoing fall in new infections across the country. On Wednesday, Thailand logged 18,417 new cases -- just last week, the number of new cases exceeded 20,000 every day.

Dr Apisamai said 21,186 patients were discharged on Wednesday.

She said as the number of daily discharges has exceeded new infections, there are plenty of beds to take new patients with moderate to severe symptoms.

Bangkok accounted for most of the new cases reported on Wednesday with 4,139, followed by Samut Prakan (2,237), Samut Sakhon (1,132), Chon Buri (974), Chachoengsao (575), Nakhon Pathon (506), Ratchaburi (498), Nakhon Ratchasima (482), Buri Ram (445) and Kanchanaburi (392).

While the number of new infections is generally decreasing, the rate is actually increasing in some provinces -- especially in the Northeast -- driven by Covid-19 patients who opted to receive treatment in their hometowns.

"Inter-provincial travel out of the dark-red zone is pushing up the risk of transmission," Dr Apisamai said.

"Those who travelled home from provinces hardest hit by the virus must self-quarantine and family members must take adequate precautions," Dr Apisamai said.

A CCSA subcommittee will meet today to review the situation. The result of the meeting will be considered at another CCSA meeting tomorrow.

With regards to the national vaccination target from next month to the end of the year, Dr Apisamai said the government is working to roll out about 15 million doses per month, up from the original target of 10 million doses a month. To realise the goal, at least 500,000 doses must be administered per day.

This month, she said, the government is on course to procure 6.5 million doses of Sinovac vaccine, 5.8 million doses from AstraZeneca, 1.5 million doses from Pfizer and a million doses from Sinopharm.

Afterwards, the government would procure 15 million doses in September and 17 million doses in October.

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