Despite rising COVID-19 cases in Thailand, the Public Health Ministry will soon stop providing free emergency treatment at private hospitals for patients who have caught the highly transmissible virus.

 

The Cabinet has asked the ministry to review its planned March 1 cutoff date, but signs suggest COVID-19 will be delisted as an emergency condition sooner rather than later.

 

The government has spent more than Bt100 billion on COVID-19 treatment since the disease reached Thailand in 2020. Fully 88 percent of that sum has been spent on green-category patients or those with no or very mild symptoms. Top government figures now believe it is high time for authorities to use the budget more efficiently by focusing on treating severe cases.

 

Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/how-will-removing-covid-19-from-list-of-emergency-conditions-affect-you/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-02-28

 

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Let people with mild or no omikron symptoms home isolate and stop all these hospiprison activities, use the money and energy on people who are serious sick.

 

Not even sure as I haven't kept track of the rules.  Still not even sure what the process is at present if I test positive via ATK at the dentist (my dentist/hospital requires it).   I understand at the beginning of Covid they'd try to force admit (to treatment) me... but now I see some folks just go home, some go to field hospitals, hotel hospitals, etc...  

5 minutes ago, Heng said:

Not even sure as I haven't kept track of the rules.  Still not even sure what the process is at present if I test positive via ATK at the dentist (my dentist/hospital requires it).   I understand at the beginning of Covid they'd try to force admit (to treatment) me... but now I see some folks just go home, some go to field hospitals, hotel hospitals, etc...  

test yourself before you go, then avoid all the fuss if you test positive and have the sniffles...

Just now, sungod said:

test yourself before you go, then avoid all the fuss if you test positive and have the sniffles...

A good idea I've already considered, I just find the process uncomfortable.  I actually prefer getting blood drawn or needles vs. nasal swabs.  

 

At present I just have my daughter or son keep the car running just in case I have to make a quick escape.   

The only foreigners who could possibly be impacted would be those covered by Thai Social Security or the Civil Service SS as foreigners otherwise were never covered by this anyhow.

I'd be able to return to Phuket, without a test, maybe, although ... why would I bother, as already too many tourist there for us.

 

Besides that, Covid remains a 'big nothing' for us.

Omicron is somewhere between a fast spreading common cold and a fast spreading flue.  Its morality rate is low but the impact still comparatively high because of its fast spreading nature.  Even despite its infectivity, total deaths from omicron are now lower than many other risks we live with daily such as pollution, road deaths etc..  Better to start channeling medical and other resources where they are needed and plan for fully opening the economy as others are doing, albeit whilst ensuring deaths remain low and hospitals are not overwhelmed with genuine patients.