The Department of Health ( DOH) will push for measures to curb the number of visitors to tourist spots to avoid a new surge in the spread of Covid-19 as the government considers it possible to resume more businesses and activities before the schedule.
DOH Director-General Panpimol Wipulakorn said travelers would follow "modern standard" habits and retain social distance and health protocols such as carrying masks and frequent hand-washing everywhere they go, even as certain limits on domestic travel have been eased.
For the next phase of lockdown loosening, measures to curb the number of visitors to tourist attractions may need to be issued, similar to limiting the number of people going to shopping malls, Dr. Panpimol said.
She stated that local authorities would also establish policies to monitor the number of beach tourists in their respective jurisdictions, to avoid overcrowding. Tourists and service industry workers should also be required to wear masks on the beaches, Dr. Panpimol said.
Sufficient hand sanitizers should also be provided to beach-goers, while toilets and bathrooms on the beachfront should be cleaned every two hours, she said, adding that visitors have to check-in and out at beaches so that they can be tracked down, among other initiatives.
Dr. Panpimol said the department checked every relaxing process and noticed that although people keep washing their hands frequently, they appear to wear fewer face masks in public places.
She also said that it is not forbidden for movie-goers to eat popcorn and soft drinks in cinemas, but they were urged to take precautions and wear masks all along.
Meanwhile, Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesperson for the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Friday that certain businesses and activities will be allowed to reopen ahead of schedule in the final phase of the Covid-19 lockdown relaxation if they can provide assurances that they have plans to prevent virus transmission.
Source: Bangkok Post