The Thai Ministry of Public Health has been coordinating with the Education Ministry to make preparations for the reopening of schools nation-wide on July 1st, to ensure the safety of students during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Panpimon Wipulakorn, director-general of Health Department, said today that students are at a greater risk of infection in schools than shoppers in malls, because they spend 5-6 hours together during the school day.
She admitted that it is difficult to make sure that students observe the health advisories, such as wearing face masks all the time at school, regularly washing their hands and physical distancing.
According to statistics, 3.8% of all coronavirus infections are among those aged between 10 and 19, and they usually contract the disease from other family members.
Dr. Panpimon said that, although infected children do not always exhibit symptoms, and their condition rarely becomes severe, they are still carriers who can infect their peers at school.
A handbook has been distributed to all schools about how to behave and how to protect oneself from the pathogen, so that both the teachers and students can stay informed.
Dr. Panpimon asked parents not worry unduly, but to educate their children about how to protect themselves against the virus and to communicate online with the other parents and teachers.
