The COVID-19 Pandemic: What We Have Learned from Thai Experiences

ABSTRACT

This article summarizes and shares experiences of how Thailand has managed and controlled the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks. COVID-19, an emerging severe respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SiRS-CoV-2), has posed an unprecedented, serious health threat to humankind. Advancements in health science enables us to recognize the syndrome and its etiology rapidly. The ability to transmit the virus before the development of symptoms makes control efforts a difficult task. However, primary preventive practices, i.e., physical/social distancing, wearing masks, hand hygiene, early detection of disease and isolation of patients, can slow down the epidemic in many countries, including Thailand. Delaying interventions could worsen the situation, but this is not the case with Thailand. It has actively deployed necessary preventive measures since the early phase of the pandemic with government leadership;the healthcare system's infrastructure has had strong public engagement and collaboration of all sectors in the country. Although there have been worrisome outbreaks, Thailand finally succeeded in controlling the epidemic within a few months using simple science-based recommendations. Shutting down economic and social activities placed a financial burden on all sectors. Yet, formal and informal supports for those with financial constraints, donations to the healthcare sectors, and innovation of safety devices emerged everywhere. In the time of crisis, there are hopes and innovations. Science, collaboration, united policies, and standard practice are universal measures for humankind to survive the challenges of threats that continuously emerge. Finally, we should always be alert and ready to deploy intensive preventive measures against new waves of epidemic promptly because it is likely that this pandemic will not end soon.