CCSA to mull Covid downgrade

The Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will today discuss the proposal by the national communicable disease panel to downgrade Covid-19 to a communicable illness under surveillance from the current state as a serious communicable condition.

That will top today’s CCSA meeting agenda, said National Security Council secretary-general Supoj Malaniyom yesterday, in his capacity as chief of the CCSA’s operations centre.

A clear operation plan for facilitating the proposed change in Covid-19’s standing has already been approved by the particular committee and posted to the Ministry associated with Public Health intended for discussion at the CCSA’s meeting, he said.

Another topic to be presented at the same meeting would be the current overall scenario of Covid-19 within Thailand, the region as well as the world, Gen Supoj said.

Also looked at would be the outcome of the government’s tourism promotion plan which is aimed at boosting Thailand’s economic recovery, he said.

A offer to further expand the distribution of specific prescription drugs for Covid-19 treatment to alleged class 1 medical stores so to improve community access to the medications will also be discussed at the meeting, he stated.

Mentioned how soon Covid-19 will be declared a good endemic disease, Style Supoj said, the particular CCSA might touch on this matter.

In his response to questions raised more than how necessary the emergency decree is going to be when Covid-19 becomes a communicable disease below surveillance, he said whether the decree will still be needed will be regarded when a new procedure plan by the Ministry of Public Wellness regarding Covid-19’s brand new status is analyzed at the meeting.

So far the special law is still being used for Covid-19 control on travellers getting into and leaving the country, he said.

Public Wellness Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, meanwhile, said the particular decree, for instance, is necessary for ensuring the speedy procurement of necessary medications, medical devices and vaccines.

He urged those who seen the decree as only being restrictive on the public in order to instead see it in a different way as it has allowed the government to respond better to the particular pandemic.