No confirmed date for resumption of Test & Go as Omicron infections spread

The government currently has no plans to resume the Test & Go scheme, which allows vaccinated travellers from approved countries to enter Thailand with minimal quarantine. Travellers who have already been approved for the Thailand Pass through Test & Go must enter the country by January 10. After that, the only way in will be through the sandbox scheme, currently operational in Phuket only, or by the quarantine programme.

According to a Bangkok Post report, Opas Karnkawinpong from the Department of Disease Control says the rapid spread of the highly-contagious Omicron variant, both here and abroad, means Test & Go is on hold for the foreseeable.

“Under the current circumstances, there’s no plan to bring back Test & Go.”

On Monday, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said he would ask the CCSA to postpone the resumption of the scheme until the end of this month. According to the Bangkok Post report, neither Anutin nor Opas have confirmed if a CCSA meeting is yet to happen or has already taken place.

Meanwhile, the Omicron variant has lived up to its reputation in Thailand, spreading across the country at lightning speed and going from 205 cases on December 24 to over 2,000 at the time of writing. The number of provinces where the variant has been reported has jumped from 33 to 54.

According to Supakit Sirilak from the Department of Medical Sciences, most cases are in Bangkok, which has 585, followed by 233 in Kalasin, 180 in Roi Et, 175 in Phuket, 162 in Chon Buri, and 106 in Samut Prakan. He says people shouldn’t panic as most Omicron patients have made a full recovery after a 2-week quarantine period.

Meanwhile, Opas says officials are most concerned about infection clusters linked to bars, restaurants, factories, migrant worker camps, markets, and religious gatherings. Such clusters have now been reported in 14 provinces: Amnat Charoen, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Kalasin, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Roi Et, Songkhla, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Yala, and Yasothon.

For more information on how to get into Thailand during the pandemic, CLICK HERE.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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