A health worker takes care of a COVID-19 patient at a hospital in Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA) Thanakorn said the Thai cabinet did not stop the payment although organisations proposed the government stop bearing COVID-19 treatment costs at private hospitals and paying for the treatment of infected and unvaccinated people to save national budgets.
There was also a proposal that vaccinated people who were infected with COVID-19 exercise treatment rights under their Social Security or universal health insurance scheme.
The Thai government covered COVID-19 treatment at public, private and field hospitals, as well as treatment at home and people should not be worried about the financial burden, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Bangkok Governor Asawin Kwanmuang warned that Omicron variant infections were likely to rise especially because of New Year celebrations involving large gatherings.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has prepared medical staff, equipment, medication and patient beds in case there is a new surge of Omicron infections, he said.
As many as 25,345 beds have been reserved for patients in main hospitals, hospitals for COVID-19 treatment, and hospitels, according to the Public Health Ministry’s Department of Medical Services.
Additionally, the BMA has prepared 40 community isolation sites with a capacity of 5,066 beds to treat Omicron cases.
The BMA has urged related organisations to closely monitor the spread of the new variant and asked the agencies to implement strict measures, especially after the New Year holidays.
Thailand reported 3,899 new COVID-19 cases and 19 deaths on January 5, raising the national count to nearly 2.24 million infections and 21,769 fatalities.
The country logged 2,338 Omicron cases across 55 out of its 77 provinces and cities./.
VNA
