Covid-19 will become a respiratory disease that commonly spreads during wet and cold months, says a Chulalongkorn University virologist.
Dr Yong Poovorawan, chief of the university's Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology, yesterday on Facebook said the disease will soon become a common seasonal respiratory illness such as seasonal influenza.
The spread of Covid-19 is more likely to occur during the rainy season from June to September, he said. The disease will also spread during the cooler season from December to March, but the transmission rate will be less severe, he said.
According to the World Health Organization, the peak period for seasonal flu transmissions is different between regions, but normally the virus tends to spread more easily in wet and cold conditions.
Afterwards, the spread of the disease will likely ease until the beginning of the next rainy season.
So, the government should come up with prevention measures and provide vaccines in advance to prepare for seasonal illnesses, Dr Yong said.
In a Facebook post, Dr Thira Woratanara, associate professor of the university's Faculty of Medicine, said the world has generally seen a decline in Omicron subvariant BA.5 infections.
However, Asia seems to be experiencing a slower decline in cases when compared with other continents, he said, adding countries are monitoring subvariant BA.2.75, first found in June.