covid-19
- World News
Jetstar Asia to operate vaccinated travel lane between Bangkok and Singapore
Jetstar Asia has confirmed it has received approval to launch 2 additional Vaccinated Travel Lane services from next week. TTR Weekly reports that the carrier will operate flights for fully vaccinated passengers from Bangkok and Phnom Penh to Singapore. The Bangkok to Singapore service launches on December 15 and the following day, VTL flights from Phnom Penh to Singapore join…
- World News
Top US scientist says Omicron “almost certainly” no more severe than Delta
America’s top infectious diseases expert has echoed statements made by the World Health Organisation that Omicron is unlikely to be more severe than other Covid-19 variants. Dr Anthony Fauci says that while it’s too soon to say for sure, there are early indications the variant may in fact result in milder illness. “There is some suggestion that it might even…
- Covid-19 News
Thai PM says another national lockdown “unlikely” despite Omicron variant
The Thai PM says another lockdown is not on the cards, despite the first case of the Omicron variant being reported in the kingdom. According to a Bangkok Post report, Prayut Chan-o-cha was responding to fears from business owners that another lockdown could be imposed during peak season “Hopefully, this coming New Year will be a happy time. We haven’t…
- Thailand News
17 people in close contact with Omicron-infected traveller test negative
Thai health officials now say all of the 17 people who came in close contact with the Omicron-infected traveller during his a hotel have tested negative for Covid-19, although one person is in quarantine after inconclusive test results. The American, who travelled from Spain and entered Thailand under the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme is the first in Thailand…
- Covid-19 News
Hotel staff in close contact to Omicron case tests positive for Covid, variant not confirmed
One of 17 people in close contact with the first Omicron case in Thailand tested positive for Covid-19, but lab tests are still being done to confirm the variant. Thai health officials announced yesterday that the first Omicron case was detected in Thailand after an American travelling from Spain, via Dubai, entering under the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme…
- World News
Indonesia and Malaysia expected to launch vaccinated travel lane early next year
The governments of Indonesia and Malaysia are expected to agree a vaccinated travel lane, or travel bubble, by early 2022, according to a Coconuts report. The arrangement would permit vaccinated people to travel between both countries without the need for quarantine on arrival. The Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, confirmed the plan during a press conference yesterday. He says the…
- Covid-19 News
No need to panic over Thailand’s first Omicron case, says PM
The Thai PM has called on the public not to panic over the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant in the kingdom. According to a Thai PBS World report, Prayut Chan-o-cha says everyone should remain on their guard and the unvaccinated should get vaccinated as soon as possible. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana says health officials will continue to check for…
- Tourism News
Recovery of Thailand’s international tourism sector likely to take years
International tourism demand for Thailand is still low, according to a Bangkok Post report, with a full recovery predicted to take years. Just 133,061 foreign arrivals touched down in Thailand between November 1 and 30, well below the 3 million visitors a month of pre-pandemic times. However, despite low visitor numbers to his province, Pongsakorn Ketprapakorn from the Tourism Council…
- Covid-19 News
First Omicron strain reported in Thailand, Test & Go traveller tests positive
The first Covid-19 case involving an Omicron mutation has been reported in Thailand. Health officials say an American who travelled from Spain was found to be infected with a strain that matched the Omicron variant by 99.92%. The man entered Thailand through the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme. This is a developing story and will be updated. SOURCE: BBC…
- Covid-19 News
Covid UPDATE: Still no Omicron, today’s infections drop to 4,000
Generally good news on the Covid front in Thailand with the daily new case reports mostly under 5,000 for the past week and the number of deaths also reaching new lows of 30-50 each day, both huge reductions from August this year when the number of daily deaths from Covid were exceeding 300. And for the Omicron trackers, we’re happy…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand’s Health Ministry misses Covid-19 vaccination target
So near and yet, not near enough. Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has missed its own target of administering 100 million Covid-19 vaccine doses. The ministry had aimed to reach the milestone by yesterday but admits it has fallen short, according to a Nation Thailand report. Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the Public Health Ministry says officials have now administered 94 million…
- Tourism News
Germany removes Thailand from its list of high-risk countries
The Thai embassy in Berlin says Thailand has been removed from Germany’s list of Covid-19 high-risk countries, according to a Thai PBS World report. Provided they are fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine, travellers from Thailand can now enter Germany without having to quarantine. The accepted vaccines are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. In addition…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SUNDAY: 4,704 infections, 27 deaths, provincial totals
Today, the CCSA reported 4,704 new Covid-19 infections, down 1,192 since yesterday, and 27 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 10 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,112,368 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 6,149 recoveries, up 483 from…
- Covid-19 News
Omicron variant and surging Covid-19 affect European nations
Following on our reporting on Covid-19 and the Omicron variant spreading throughout the US and in Africa and Australasia, here are some updates on European reactions to the new strain and dealing with a renewed Covid-19 threat. ENGLAND & IRELAND The UK Health Security Agency reported 75 more infections of the Omicron variant bringing the total throughout the country to…
- Covid-19 News
Australia, Asia, and Africa deal with the Covid-19 Omicron variant
With Omicron spreading around the world, many countries are seeing the new variant spread, as well as Covid-19 in general on the rise. Here are some updates from around Australasia and Africa (a roundup of Europe can be found here): AUSTRALIA 13 cases of Omicron have been identified in a cluster in Sydney after finding the first infection just Friday,…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SATURDAY: 5,896 infections, 37 deaths, provincial data
Today, the CCSA reported 5,896 new Covid-19 infections, up 984 since yesterday, and 37 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 4 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,107,664 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 5,666 recoveries, up 178 from…
- Thailand News
CCSA criticises newspaper’s ‘hunt for Africans’ story, clarifies efforts to track travellers
Yesterday’s top headline on the frontpage of the Bangkok Post, “Govt hunts for African visitors,” which contact those who are considered at risk of the Omicron variant, drew criticism from readers as well as the government’s Covid-19 task force. The CCSA made a statement today clarifying its efforts to contact travellers who entered Thailand within the past two weeks from…
- Covid-19 News
US introduces new restrictions for international arrivals from Monday
From Monday, all international travellers to the US must receive a negative Covid-19 test result within 1 day of travel. Prior to the emergence of the Omicron variant, this measure applied only to unvaccinated travellers, with fully inoculated people able to arrive with a negative result obtained within 3 days of travel. However, the arrival of Omicron has prompted health…
- Covid-19 News
AirAsia boss accuses governments of overreacting to Omicron threat
The CEO of the AirAsia Group says governments shouldn’t panic over the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant. The Bangkok Post reports that Tony Fernandes says officials should instead focus on reducing the cost of PCR testing. “It’s a huge overreaction. We don’t know anything about this variant yet. Let’s wait and see before we jump the gun.” Fernandes says…
- Covid-19 News
No vaccine, no entry: Germany gets tough on those who refuse to get vaccinated
Alarmed at rising infection rates and anxious to avoid another strict lockdown, the German government is instead imposing restrictions on the unvaccinated. According to a Bloomberg report, the outgoing chancellor Angela Merkel has agreed a raft of new measures with government officials and her successor, Olaf Scholz. Unvaccinated people in Germany will face limits on which public events they can…
- Covid-19 News
Thursday Covid Update: 4,971 new cases; provincial totals
33 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,847 with 20,753 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 4,971 new Covid-19 cases and 5,402 recoveries. There are now 73,726 people in Thailand being…
- World News
Fiji tourism reopening after nearly 2 years of Covid-19 closure
Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama announced the island nation has reopened its borders for international tourism for the first time since many of the world’s borders closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic nearly 2 years ago. Fiji’s population of just 1 million people have struggled without the tourism that makes up a lion’s share of the economy after borders closed…
- Phuket News
Phuket officials order quarantine for more than 100 travellers from South Africa
More than 100 travellers from South Africa who entered Thailand over the past two weeks have been ordered to quarantine for 14 days as a preventative measure following the emergence of the Omicron variant. Nationwide, the Thai Immigration Bureau and the Public Health Ministry are working to track down a total of more than 780 people who travelled from African…
- Covid-19 News
Cost of PCR tests reduced by 200 baht at labs run by Department of Medical Sciences
The Department of Medical Sciences is cutting the cost of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests by 200 baht. However, the reduction only applies to laboratories under the DMS. The price of PCR test kits remains unchanged. According to a Nation Thailand report, the fee is being reduced from 1,300 baht to 1,000 baht, in a bid to encourage more…
- Covid-19 News
Wednesday Covid Update: 4,886 new cases; provincial totals
43 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 20,814 with 20,720 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1. In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 4,886 new Covid-19 cases and 6,326 recoveries. There are now 74,190 people in Thailand being…
- Covid-19 News
Health officials say Omicron probably in the Netherlands prior to South Africa reports
Dutch health officials say they’ve detected the Omicron variant in 2 local Covid-19 infections from more than 11 days ago. The development would indicate that the variant was circulating in Europe prior to the reports issued by South African authorities last week. According to an AP report, Japan and France have joined the list of countries to confirm cases of…
- Covid-19 News
Most face masks on sale in Thailand do not meet industry quality standards
The Thailand Consumer Council says that out of 60 face masks available in the country, only a fifth have passed quality tests. According to a Bangkok Post report, the TCC has called on the Thai Industrial Standards Institute to mandate the same safety standards for disposable face masks, which is currently a voluntary requirement. In July, the TCC randomly chose…
- World News
UN boss says global vaccination is only way out of pandemic
The United Nations secretary-general says the only way out of the Covid-19 pandemic is through global vaccination. According to a Xinhua report, Antonio Guterres has called for greater equality in the global distribution of vaccines, tests, and treatments. “The only way out of a global pandemic and out of this unjust and immoral situation is through a global vaccination campaign.”…
- Covid-19 News
PM will decide on need for lockdown if and when Omicron found in Thailand
The health ministry says the Thai PM will decide what steps to take if and when the Omicron Covid-19 variant is found in the kingdom. The Bangkok Post reports that the relevant agencies have been instructed to continue monitoring the situation and the Public Health Ministry will review the country’s re-opening in 2 weeks’ time. Speaking to the Bangkok Post,…
- Pattaya News
Si Racha sushi restaurant patrons warned to test for Covid-19
Following in a string of Covid-19 outbreak warnings, the Chon Buri Public Health Office released a new bulletin for anyone who visited sushi stalls in a Si Racha market where Covid-19 infections were identified. Unlike other warnings over the past several weeks that gave one- to two-week date ranges for exposure, this alert is very time and location-specific. Health officials…
