SSO starts proactive COVID-19 testing among workers

[webfact]

SSO starts proactive COVID-19 testing among workers

 

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - The current COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand started with the discovery of a large cluster linked to a migrant worker community. The Social Security Office has now approved a new guideline, allowing workers to receive proactive COVID-19 screening, which requires only 3 hours of waiting time to receive their results.

 

The Social Security Office’s (SSO) physician committee has announced a new set of criteria and service fees for COVID-19 screening, allowing all workers enrolled in the Social Security system to have better access to proactive medical services for COVID-19.

 

This new guideline specifically targets the workforce in provinces declared as highest control areas by the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration.

 

The Minister of Labour, Suchart Chomklin, said that Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed the Ministry of Labour to work with related agencies to facilitate active COVID-19 case finding operations, as well as other outbreak containment operations, to minimize the consequences to the country’s economy and public health.

 

With the new SSO’s guideline effective today, provincial communicable diseases committees in the Red Zones, including Bangkok, will have to actively engage with companies and workplaces to provide COVID-19 screening of the employees.

 

It will take 3-4 hours for the results to be available. Anyone testing positive for COVID-19 will immediately enter the treatment program as determined by the Ministry of Public Health.

 

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-01-11

 

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[ThailandRyan]

This is very good news, let's hope it is rolled out nationwide and then opened up to all.  Only then will there be a true picture of how widespread this virus has become and they can start the closures as another OP says should be done.  Waiting on all of those who have bashed me for recommending further testing by this Goverment to bash this OP as well.  Thank you SSO for stepping up to help the people here in Thailand get an actual idea in order to solve the issue.

[jonclark]

20 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

This is very good news, let's hope it is rolled out nationwide and then opened up to all.  Only then will there be a true picture of how widespread this virus has become and they can start the closures as another OP says should be done.  Waiting on all of those who have bashed me for recommending further testing by this Goverment to bash this OP as well.  Thank you SSO for stepping up to help the people here in Thailand get an actual idea in order to solve the issue.

Why are you thanking the SSO and government? We should not have to thank them for doing their job. I would have thought the Office of Public Health would have done this earlier. 

 

Glad it is happening. Apparently 17000 were tested in Nontaburi yesterday and 800 or so came back positive. The source was Thai social media (hardly reliable I know). 

 

This is not bashing as you are clearly very sensitive about that...just a difference in opinion. 

[ThailandRyan]

Thanking them for finally getting off their duff's and doing whats been needed and discussed by many of us on here. Albeit a few on this site have bashed the test test test mantra that I bring up daily won't like that what has been preached on here is now happening much to their chagrin and they will still try and compare testing elsewhere as having no effect on making Covid go away.  Once the true spread is known then steps can be taken to close things for a few weeks and put plans in place. Hopefully they will not be forcing people who are just asymptomatic into hospitals, but I can see why they do it.

[ThailandRyan]

8 minutes ago, jonclark said:

This is not bashing as you are clearly very sensitive about that...just a difference in opinion. 

Not sensitive just making a point as there are those who don't like it and want to compare countries and how well Thailand has done.  I give credit where credit is due.  Trying to get tested here like elsewhere has been inherently problematic.

[graemeaylward]

Not before time!!  However, last week, because these fast tests were being purchased by members of the public, the Government were saying that they were inaccurate, and should not be used as only trained medical staff could use fast tests.  Strange that it is now convenient to use them, when most other countries have used them for months and found them extremely accurate!  I agree with Thailand Ryan and hope that this testing will be rolled out nationwide for free so that we can all have a true picture of the numbers infected, unless, of course, the government are economical with the truth as to the real extent of the problem.

 

[Cake Monster]

Its going to be very difficult, or impossible to stop Infections among Workers that are housed in such squalid  conditions.

[ourmanflint]

From the photo it looks like they are doing temperature screening which is a total waste of time. Most asymptomatic carriers won't have a temperature, even those with symptoms might not have a fever except at the very beginning of the infection