National Health Security Office (NHSO) deputy secretary-general Attaporn Limpanyalert said yesterday (June 29) the Public Health Ministry’s plan to declare the country in a post-pandemic stage tomorrow would return medical services to normality.
This meant that COVID-19 infected people would have to rely on their own health insurance coverage for medical services, or pre-existing schemes such as social security or the universal health care programme, reports the Bangkok Post.
Before transferring patients to other hospitals, patients’ conditions would be assessed and the COVID-19 illness would be treated like a common cold, Dr Attaporn said.
“During the pandemic, many people fell ill, prompting state agencies to mobilise support from the private sector. At the time, COVID-19 patients could seek treatment at hospitels or elsewhere.
“As the situation improves, the treatment system has to be adjusted because COVID-19 is not as severe as before,” said the NHSO deputy secretary-general.
Since early 2020, more than B150 billion had been used for COVID-19 treatment, he added.
During a meeting of the NHSO board on July 4, the free distribution of Covid-19 antigen test kits (ATK) at pharmacies would be reviewed, and might be scrapped or extended.
According to the Department of Disease Control’s criteria, ATK tests will be taken only when people develop symptoms, not as a frequent precaution as in the past.