Infected can soon become outpatients

The Public Health Ministry will allow hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients as outpatients as part of efforts to declare the virus endemic within the next four months.

Kiatiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for public health, said the outpatient scheme for people infected with Covid-19 is tentatively scheduled to take effect on March 1.

Under the scheme, people suspected of being infected will be screened with an antigen test kit (ATK) and if the result is positive, doctors will consider prescribing favipiravir or fah talai jone, and other medications based on symptoms.

He said the planned outpatient service is part of the ministry’s plan to downgrade Covid-19 to a disease that can be treated with self-care.

According to Dr Kiatiphum, several Covid-19 patients in Chiang Mai and Phuket are receiving treatment at home and Siriraj Hospital is preparing a similar…