Proposal for shorter 7 day quarantine to start next month

From next month, the Public Health Ministry will ask the government to consider reducing the mandatory quarantine for incoming travellers from 14 days to 7-10 days.

In his capacities as chairman of the National Committee on Communicable Diseases, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced the plan on Monday.

Mr Anutin reported that the ministry would ask the government to cut the mandatory quarantine to boost tourism and the economy.

He said after the committee met on Monday, "We are prepared to open the country to help drive economic growth."

"If we can provide vaccines to 70% of all medical workers by October, we might be able to get rid of mandatory quarantine for some groups."

"We have enough vaccines from AstraZeneca, and we plan to request more than 10 million doses from them if they can produce more."

If approved, travellers who fall into the following three categories will be entitled to shorter quarantine requirements beginning in April, he said.

Non-Thai citizens who were vaccinated against Covid-19 between 14 and three months before arrival in Thailand and tested negative for the disease are the first group. Mr Anutin noted that these travellers will only be required to quarantine for seven days.

Thai returnees who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 between 14 days and three months before their arrival in Thailand are the second group. He also stated that these travelers will be required to stay in quarantine for seven days.

Non-Thai citizens who have not been vaccinated but have Covid-19-free certificates are the third group, according to Mr. Anutin. According to him, these travelers will be required to stay in quarantine for ten days.

Travellers arriving from Africa will be subject to the full 14-day quarantine since the Public Health Ministry is concerned about the possibility of more contagious Covid-19 variants from the continent spreading to Thailand.

Separate, the public health minister stated unequivocally that the government had no intention of excluding private hospitals from providing Covid-19 vaccines to paying patients.

"However, they must comply with vaccine registration guidelines," Mr. Anutin said.