Many companies have started calling workers back to the office while schools increasingly resume on-site classes amid a stabilizing COVID-19 situation in Thailand.
With the public health system looking increasingly capable of accommodating new cases, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has told the ministries of education, interior, and public health to ready incident response plans and maintain strict disease control measures.
The Ministry of Education recently reported that 99% of education personnel have received at least one COVID vaccine dose, while 80% have received at least two doses. About 80% of students aged 12 to 17 have also already received their second dose.
The Ministry of Public Health has meanwhile been accelerating the vaccination of young children aged 5 to 11.
Schools that intend to hold on-site classes must first receive approval from the provincial communicable disease control committee in their respective provinces. These schools are also asked to rigorously adhere to COVID prevention measures.
Students in Thailand returned to classes on Tuesday after the Education Ministry allowed schools to open as normal under its plan to control Covid-19.
The plan requires 85 percent of teachers to be vaccinated with at least one dose. Also, schools must evaluate themselves via the Department of Health’s Thai Stop COVID+ website.
Meanwhile, schools must follow Covid-19 prevention measures including social distancing, washing hands and temperature checks. Additionally, the Ministry of Interior is continuing to liaison with the provincial chapters of the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration to monitor COVID outbreaks in their areas.
