THAILAND SAYS ‘NO’ TO MORE LOCKDOWNS
Requirement that foreign visitors take a RT-PCR test upon arrival sufficient to detect the new variant, says PM
THAILAND is unlikely to impose a Covid-19 lockdown despite the emergence of the Omicron coronavirus variant, said Prime Minister Prayuth Chan o Cha.
Quelling fears in the business community of another round of lockdown, he hoped the coming New Year would be a happy time for all despite the looming threat.
He said this after the first case of Omicron was confirmed in Thailand on Monday from a visiting American.
According to a Bangkok Post report, Prayuth said everything now depended on how effective were the Covid-free setting and other measures .
“If there is no new spread of the virus, who would ever close or lock down [activities] again? No one would,” the prime minister said.
He said the current measure that required foreign visitors to take a RT-PCR Covid-19 test upon arrival was sufficient to detect the new variant and prevent it from spreading in the country.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the vaccination campaign must be ramped up to cope with any large-scale spread of Omicron.
He said the government had also clarified with the manufacturers that vaccines arriving next year must be capable of fighting off any new strains of the virus.
After enough people have been inoculated, universal prevention measures will be intensified to mitigate the potential impact of Omicron, which is forecast to become the world’s dominant strain of Covid-19.
The Department of Disease Control said all 17 people, who came in close contact with the American tourist, had tested negative for Covid-19.
The last to be tested was a 44year-old hotel waiter who served him food on Dec 1, said Dr Chakkarat Pitayawonganon, director of epidemiology.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) said the country’s reopening needed to continue with a more cautious approach amid concerns over the new Omicron variant.
TCT president Chamnan Srisawat said local communities should not panic, but instead follow advice from public health experts.
He said the detection of the variant meant screening measures remained effective and the reopening should be allowed to continue as vaccine rollouts in Thailand increased, while daily cases continued to drop.
A Post report said TCT also agreed with the decision to delay the use of antigen test kits for arrivals until the country had more details on the new strain.
“Tourism operators are about to start up again after almost two years of waiting during the crisis, as we gradually see signs of a tourism rebound,” Chamnan said.
“The Omicron variant certainly raises more concerns, but our battered industry will not be able to handle any more flip-flops on the country’s reopening.”
Association of Thai Travel Agents president Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn said the reopening would take time to generate a healthy number of tourists, and enforced closures could put the industry back to zero.
He said the government should follow the situation carefully and if the variant proved to be more dangerous, then it should consider tightening travel regulations or reimposing border closures in the worst-case scenario.
The president added that the most stringent measures for land border crossings were vital to prevent illegal migrant workers who intended to avoid health screening.