While all the COVID Free Setting measures will remain in effect, the closing time for pubs and bars trading as “restaurants” will be extended from 11pm to midnight, Governor Narong announced.
Of note, while the announcement was made at a meeting of the Phuket Provincial Communicable Disease Committee yesterday (Apr 26), which Governor Narong repeated through a radio interview this morning, the official provincial order mandating exactly which provisions are to come into effect has yet to be issued.
At the meeting at the old Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday, joined by Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong along with the heads of the key government agencies on the island, it was pointed out that over the previous seven days Phuket had recorded an average 162 cases a day, of which 87.7% were local infections.
The Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) marked just 81 local infections yesterday, not including two new infections among Sandbox tourist arrivals and 23 new infections among Test & Go tourists,
Only 2-3% of people confirmed infected required hospital treatment, with Phuket currently recording a patient bed occupancy rate of 24.51%, the meetign was told.
Most of the COVID-19 deaths recorded ‒ 79.28% of all deaths ‒ were of people over the age of 60. The COVID deaths recorded involved people not vaccinated and/or already had serious previous medical conditions, the committee admitted.
The most common risk factor of contracting COVID-19 was through a family member, co-workers or joining group activities, the committee reported.
Phuket was well prepared to enter the “Post-pandemic Covid-19 (Endemic approach)”, Governor Narong explained.
The Outpatient Treatment (OPD) system for those infected with no symptoms or light symptoms was well developed through a network of hospitals and pharmacies participating in the government’s campaign, he said.
The continuing rollout of vaccination injections was focussing on higher at-risk people (Group 608) and now also focussing on students before they return to school next semester, he added.
“There are enough hospital beds for critically ill patients, enough medicines for effective treatment and disease prevention and enough medical and public health personnel at all levels to effectively support the public health treatment system,” he said.
However, for now, all entertainment venues must be required to remain closed, Governor Narong said, a rule still mandated by the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Bangkok.
But venues operating as “restaurants”, which pubs and bars may open as under special registration, will be allowed to remain open until midnight, Governor Narong said.
“We must maintain restrictions on types of restaurants where alcoholic beverages can be consumed. The venues must be a restaurant that has passed SHA+ or Thai Stop COVID 2 Plus only and follows the COVID Free Setting measures,” he said.
“Service places and establishments such as entertainment venues, pubs, bars and karaoke venues may open to operate in the form of a restaurant in accordance with the prescribed measures by requesting permission from the Communicable Disease Committee,” he added.
Generally, people were asked to continue to work from home as appropriate, Governor Narong said.
The Phuket Communicable Disease Committee will cancel the previous COVID-19 screening measures for travelers entering Phuket by land, sea and air to bring the entry measures in line with the announcement by the CCSA last Friday, Governor Narong confirmed.
“Those traveling to Phuket must show results of either full-dose vaccination or negative ATK test results,” he said.
The easing of the entry measures for international arrivals is expected to result in more tourists traveling to Phuket and helps as a stimulus for the tourism industry, which will help restore the economy of Phuket,” he said.