A view of the Songkran New Year Festival in Thailand (Photo source: thaipbsworld.com)

Bangkok – The Thail Ministry of Health is revising its COVID-19 vaccination strategy to cope with the increasing number of new COVID-19 cases during and after the Songkran New Year Festival.

The ministry will start giving COVID-19 booster shots like seasonal flu shots next month, Director of the ministry’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) Thares Krasanairawiwong.

He reported that between April 9-15, 435 new infections were admitted to hospitals for treatment, an average of 62 cases per day or 2.5 times higher than the previous week. Of them, 30 had lung inflammation and 19 were put on ventilation, up 58% and 36% respectively. Two of the patients died and they received the last booster shots more than three months ago.

People in risk groups, especially the elderly and those with underlying diseases, should seek to get a booster shot at a medical service office near their homes as soon as possible, Thares said.

After the Songkran festival, people are advised to keep themselves under observation for at least seven days and avoid close contacts with the elderly or people with chronic diseases, he added.

As for the spread of COVID-19 of the XBB.1.16 variant, it has been detected in 22 countries, mostly India. According to GISAID, the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data, as of April 13, Thailand detected cases of XBB.1.16 sub-variant infection out of about 3,000 cases reported worldwide.