Governor Narong also assured that the decision made by the Phuket Provincial Communicable Disease Committee also came with the proviso that the COVID situation is continually monitored.
“This is to relax measures with continuous assessment of the situation according to the process of driving problem solving in all aspects of public health, the economy, tourism and social sectors, by consulting and receiving opinions from all concerned parties, along with the steady progress of the Phuket Sandbox project,” Governor Narong said.
“The situation of the epidemic of COVID-19 in the area is moving in a better direction. The number of people infected [new cases] has dropped as expected, and speeding up of the third-dose vaccination has already seen more than 200,000 people receive [booster] injections, and the vaccination of children aged 12-18 is underway,” he said.
“Also some ‘CI’ centers [‘Community Isolation’ centres, also called ‘COVID Care Centres’] have gradually closed, and the Aunjai Clinic remains open to support the coordination and systematic care of those infected with COVID-19,” he added.
“Therefore, the reduction of various measures [the easing of the domestic entry requirements] are according to the procedure of control to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Governor Narong assured.
“From now on the province [provincial government] will continue to take care of Group 608 patients, which is a risk group that easily can be infected with COVID-19 and suffer more serious symptoms than the general public, by managing the number of hospital beds to accommodate as many Group 608 patients as possible,” Governor Narong concluded.
‘Group 608’ has become Phuket officials’ preferred term for higher at risk patients, comprising people over 60 years old along with those suffering from any of the seven recognised medical conditions that place patients at higher risk of developing serious signs of infection, plus women more than 12 weeks pregnant.