About 15 provinces are aiming to be among the first to declare Covid-19 an endemic disease but they can’t do so until they are approved by the Ministry of Public Health’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), said Dr Suthep Petchmak, inspector-general of the ministry.
Dr Suthep said he was informed by permanent-secretary for public health Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit that 15 provinces are ready for the new disease status. He said the Department of Disease Control has finished drafting the criteria for that status but the provinces ready for approval haven’t been discussed yet by the EOC. He did not say when the EOC will meet to discuss the matter.
He didn’t name the 15, but disclosed that Songkhla is among them. The southern province is ready to declare Covid-19 as endemic because 80% of its population has received a Covid-19 jab and 30% has received boosters.
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