BANGKOK, Aug 9 (TNA) – All hospitals can procure antivirals by themselves from Sept 1 onwards and COVID-19 will be downgraded from a dangerous communicable disease to a communicable disease under surveillance on Oct 1, according to the public health minister.
Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the National Communicable Disease Committee (NCDC) allowed public and private hospitals to acquire antivirals directly from Sept 1 onwards.
The administration of antivirals can be done through normal treatment welfare funds that covered general communicable diseases and thus people would have access to COVID-19 treatment according to their medical treatment rights, Mr Anutin said.
The National Health Security Office would set the median price of the medicine which hospitals could procure from manufacturers registered with the Food and Drug Administration, he said.
Mr Anutin also said that the NCDC resolved to downgrade COVID-19 from a dangerous communicable disease to a communicable disease under surveillance on Oct 1 to reflect the present COVID-19 situation.
The new definition would not have any impact on people. They would continue to have their access to treatment in accordance with their medical treatment rights and COVID-19 vaccine booster shots would remain free of charge as always, he said. (TNA)
