Public Health officials will accelerate the vaccination of people aged over 50 as a matter of urgency, after it was discovered that 80% COVID-19 related fatalities were people aged 50 and over, according to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) today (Wednesday).

CCSA Assistant Spokesperson Dr. Apisamai Srirangsan noted that the majority of the deaths were among the elderly and those afflicted by any of seven underlining diseases.

She disclosed that, since February 28^th this year, 32.6 million doses of vaccines had been administered, of the 40 million doses already delivered to Thailand, leaving 7.4 million doses, some of which are being  administered and are yet to be recorded in the main database.

14,802 new COVID-19 cases were recorded, today, compared to 18,996 recoveries and 252 more deaths. The infection rate in Bangkok is almost on par with that of the rest of the country, with Bangkok reporting 3,732 cases today, which are fewer than a few weeks ago.

Although the rate of new infections is slowing in some provinces, Dr. Apisai cautioned against complacency and lowering our guards, stressing the need for active screening to ensure the infected are separated them from others.

She said that clusters of infections are still being detected in factories in Rayong, Chon Buri and Suphan Buri, in construction worker housing facilities and wet markets.

Regarding today’s easing of lockdown restrictions, especially in Bangkok, Dr. Apisamai said many workers, who had left Bangkok when the lockdown measures came into effect a few months ago, are expected to return to the capital and surrounding provinces to find work.

She urged officials in the home provinces of these returnees to screen them for coronavirus or to make sure they have been vaccinated before they depart for the capital.

She explained that the “Smart Control and Living with COVID-19” concept, which includes the “COVID-free setting” measure, is not being immediately enforced, but will be gradually applied in provinces and business establishments as appropriate.

The “COVID-free setting” creates an environment which is free from the virus, where the employees are fully inoculated customers are also clear of the disease.