Thailand urges firms to WFH for a week after Songkran holiday
- Claire Lee
Thailand’s health ministry is calling on businesses to work from home for a week, following the country’s recent Songkran holiday to prevent a surge in COVID-19 infections.
“Once the Songkran festival is over, the number of cases may increase by 20 – 30%,” warned Chakrarat Pittawawongan, director of the Department of Disease Control’s Epidemiology Division, reports Thaiger.
Businesses and organisations, including state agencies, should adopt a policy of working from home for between 5 and 7 days, and workers should also self-screen regularly with antigen test kits, said Chakrarat.
Chakrarat is also urging people in high-risk groups to ensure that they receive their vaccination booster doses, including those with health conditions, those over the age of 60, and pregnant women.
So far, only 37% of people in those groups have received a booster dose, well below the government’s 60% target.
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To prepare for a possible increase in COVID-19 positive cases, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has already told the health ministry and provincial officials to increase Covid-19 screening and to prepare adequate isolation facilities.
