Beginning March 1, fully vaccinated visitors must take a
RT-PCR test on arrival and spend their first night at an approved hotel while
awaiting the results, but will no longer need to take a second RT-PCR test and
spend another night at a hotel on their fifth day, the Center for COVID-19
Situation Administration said.
Instead, visitors arriving under the “Test & Go” program
will need to take a self-administered rapid antigen test on the fifth day and
report the result on a cellphone app.
The center, headed by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, also
reduced the minimum required health insurance coverage for COVID-19 treatment
from $50,000 to $20,000 for each foreign entrant.
Spokesperson Taweesin Visanuyothin said the changes took
into consideration the need to boost the economy even as cases of the omicron
coronavirus variant rise. Thailand relies on tourism for as much as 20% of its
GDP.
A total of 21,232 new confirmed cases and 39 deaths were
announced Wednesday, although the number does not include many results found
with antigen tests.
Thailand has reported 2.77 million coronavirus cases since the
pandemic started in 2020. Nearly 550,000 cases, or around 20% of the total,
were reported during the first two months of this year.
Taweesin said the death toll compared to the number of
confirmed cases this year is as low as 0.19%, and that was one of the main
factors behind the decision to ease entry requirements. Also, most new COVID-19
cases have been found among local residents, not foreign tourists.
There are currently 173,605 active cases, including 882
categorized as serious, that are being treated in hospitals and field
hospitals.
In addition, there are 21,120 cases in community isolation
centers and 47,373 in home isolation registered in the public health system..
Bangkok, the hardest-hit province, will add more beds for
patients with mild symptoms, Gov. Aswin Kwanmuang said.
Unvaccinated travelers can also enter Thailand if they are
quarantined in approved hotels for 10 days.
Almost 500,000 visitors entered Thailand by air from the
beginning of the year through Feb. 21, Taveesin said.
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