Covid is a serious problem that Thailand is currently facing. Since two years ago covid have changed Thailand and its citizen's life. Millions of people with a weak financial base are “killed”. Recently the health department of Thailand has claimed to the public that Thailand is slowly getting out of pandemic and moving into an endemic. Yet, is that true? Does Thailand have the requirements for an endemic or not? What is an endemic?

Endemic is when in a place and area the spread of the virus is little in its population and the effect of the virus is less as a treat. The Thai government has claimed that the pandemic in Thailand has turned into an “endemic”. Dr. Kaitiiphum Wongrajit has said in a news interview that is being recorded by the Bangkok Post. The three main factors that were ​​claimed to be the reasoning for an endemic are: vaccine, affection of the covid have decreased and the possibility of a covid outbreak have decreased. What’s also mentioned is that as Thailand is slowly going through the endemic the economy would go back to usual possibly in a short period of time. The ministry has also claimed that the government has enough of vaccines and they believe that soon Thailand will go back into somewhat normal and usual life. The health ministry of the Thai government has also mentioned that the Omicron virus has a wider spread and infection possibility but almost all of its infection cases in only in the Mid-symptom. The government believes that they have enough storage for covid vaccine and medical devices related to covid and this would make covid not at “serious”. The government also encourages everyone to take the covid ​​vaccine and do the ATK testing in order to unsure themself.

Thailand is trying to declare the country as an endemic by the end of the year, but with a continuously increasing number of inflections and warnings from the World health organization (WHO). In the full interview with Dr. Opart Karnkawinpong the covid restriction department of Thailand. He has claimed that hopefully at the end of the year Thailand will be getting into an endemic. The government is trying the spread to the public the idea of endemic and how to achieve it. He mentioned that the past two years covid has had a huge impact on the economy and the weak financial citizens, this should be changed but for it to change endemic is required. Yet, how would it look like when there is an endemic. There wouldn’t be mandatory quarantine or continuously increasing infection numbers. Pubs, bars, and other many entertainment industries should be open as normal. The covid infection should be flu-like and the people infected should be able to take care of themselves. Is Thailand actually ready? Thailand has had a recorded infection number to be over 7,500 per day since Jan, 7. This is a huge difference from last year where there is only around a hundred infected people per day.

We look forward to seeing the endemic in Thailand as soon as possible. Yet, there are still many factors to be taken into account. Whether there would actually be an endemic or not would still be a question. Something we can do is to take care of ourselves and do all the covid measures to secure ourselves and others.

Citation:

Taylor, Maya. “Health Ministry Says Covid-19 Will Become Endemic in Thailand This Year.” Thaiger, 11 Jan. 2022, thethaiger.com/coronavirus/health-ministry-says-covid-19-will-become-endemic-in-thailand-this-year.

Reporters, Online. “Ministry to Make Covid Endemic This Year.” Https://Www.bangkokpost.com, 10 Jan. 2022, www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2245175/ministry-to-make-covid-endemic-this-year.

“Is Thailand Rushing to Categorize Covid-19 an Endemic Disease?” Thai PBS World : The Latest Thai News in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in Both Thai and English. We Bring Thailand to the World, www.thaipbsworld.com/is-thailand-rushing-to-categorize-covid-19-an-endemic-disease/.