All provinces continue to enforce stringent measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19, such as Sukhothai province now requiring all villagers to wear a face mask outside, while all subdistricts in Phuket are now on a 14-day lockdown, with officials visiting houses, assessing persons at risk.
Health screening teams comprising medical staff, teachers, and related officials, as well as sidecar motorcycle riders commenced their community health screening operation yesterday, during which they will be visiting 26,579 houses screening persons at-risk of COVID-19 infection.
Phuket is one of the first provinces in Thailand to seal its border with other provinces. Right now all subdistricts in Phuket are on lockdown, preventing any travel between one subdistrict and another.
The province hopes this active case finding approach will be an effective tool in curbing the pandemic.
Checkpoints can now be seen at all subdistrict borders, strictly prohibiting villagers from passing through, except for authorized persons. Many malls, shops, and businesses are now closed for 14 days to allow their employees to stay home.
The Local Administrative Organization in Phuket has distributed groceries at houses and other accommodation.
In Sukhothai, the Provincial Communicable Diseases Committee chaired by Governor Maitri Tritanilan has approved a new requirement for all persons in the province to wear face masks outside their homes.
The provincial committee emphasizes the effectiveness of face masks in the prevention of infectious respiratory diseases, not only COVID-19, but also the common cold, influenza, measles, pharyngitis, pneumonia, and bronchitis, as well as other viral infections often passed on in droplets from coughs and sneezes.
