Top epidemiologist warns that vaccination is not a cue to re-open borders

A specialist in infectious diseases at the Faculty of Medicine of Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University says the arrival of vaccines does not mean it’s safe to re-open to foreign visitors. Thira Woratanarat says opening the borders too soon will only put Thailand in more danger, pointing to a lack of data on the efficacy of vaccines against transmission.

Thira adds that asymptomatic carriers could still spread the virus and that the arrival of vaccines could cause people to lower their guard. According to a Nation Thailand report, the medic insists that more studies are needed into asymptomatic cases as there is not yet enough information.

“Things are no safe yet, so people should strictly adhere to preventive measures and monitor their health. See the doctor immediately if you have any symptoms.”

Thira has routinely erred on the side of caution when discussing Thailand’s approach to managing the pandemic. He has regularly spoken out against lifting or reducing the mandatory quarantine period, opposed re-opening the borders, and called for a 4-week national lockdown as recently as last month.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand