COVID-19 infections are expected to rise with the arrival of cold season, as more group activities are held and more people travel, but the infection rate will drop in February as the dry season begins, according to Dr. Yong Poovorawan, chief of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University.

He said, however, that the infection rate will not be as high as during the rainy season, adding that most cases will not be serious either, as the majority of the people have developed a level of immunity, except for people suffering from chronic kidney disease and the so-called “608” group, which includesthose over 60, and those suffering from underlying diseases.

In his Facebook post today (Monday), Dr. Yong said there is no evidence to indicate that the latest mutations of the COVID-19 virus have increased the severity of symptoms, but they can cause reinfection.

As 70% of the Thai population have immunity, either through vaccinations or a previous infection, he said that the situation is gradually approaching a “new normal”, in which we will have to live with the virus, like other viruses that cause respiratory diseases.

He added that the wearing of face masks is still necessary in confined places where there are many people, but that face masks may not be necessary in open spaces, such as public parks and at the seaside.

He suggested that people suffering from respiratory diseases wear face masks, whether they are infected with COVID-19 or not, to prevent the disease from spreading to others.