We have now entered our 5th year since the first recognition of COVID-19. Overall, to date, 774 million cases and 7 million deaths due to this infection have been reported worldwide.  Although we are past the worst phase of the pandemic, COVID-19 has not gone away.

 

 

Thailand is currently experiencing a significant surge in COVID-related hospital admissions, serious pneumonia cases, individuals needing support from a mechanical ventilator and deaths.

 

There is no evidence that current COVID-19 strains cause higher levels of illness; instead, the upsurge in Thailand is due to higher transmissibility of the virus and lower adherence of people to personal protective measures. In addition, a significant minority of people in Thailand are either unvaccinated or are incompletely vaccinated. 

 

Full story: World Health Organization 2024-02-15

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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We thought we came home from a week in BKK in mid-Jan with symptoms of covid, and still a lingering cough & snot from time to time.

 

But I'm inclined to think it was the heavy pollution in BKK that - for the first time ever - set us off, and now persisting at low level in a south Surin more polluted than I ever remember it being.

It is about time that COVID vaccine was as readily available as flu vaccine. There can be no reason to restrict it's availability. There is no was I am going to the inconvenient hospitals where it is available in Chiang Mai but I would happily combine it and pay for it along with my flu vaccination at the private clinic that I use.