Transportation Services and Restaurants Urged to Commit to Health Measures

by Natthaphon Sangpolsit

BANGKOK (NNT) - Business operators have been urged to step up their compliance with disease control measures, such as by having adequate hand sanitizing stations and ventilation to ensure health safety.

A recent survey found that the public is observing health precautions less rigorously than before despite the persisting COVID-19 situation. Health authorities are urging people to protect themselves by observing precautions while asking various establishments to be stringent with their measures.

The Department of Health said the Thai public has been observing health precautions less closely than before, noting that the rate of mask wearing has dropped from 96.1% in May to 94.6% in July. The findings were based on the department’s Anamai Poll survey conducted during May and July of this year.

Department Director-General Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai said the rate of hand washing dropped from 91.5% to 88.1%, while social distancing declined to 78.6% from 84.6%. Overall, the percentage of individuals observing all three precautions dropped to 74.1% from 82%.

Members of the public are encouraged to keep wearing a mask in crowded areas or places with poor ventilation, especially if they belong to the ‘608 group’ of persons at risk of developing severe COVID symptoms.