NHSO distributes ATKs as schools in Bangkok get ready to reopen
The National Health Security Office (NHSO) distributed 46,00 sets of antigen test kits (ATKs) among 109 Bangkok schools on Thursday as primary students get ready to return to their classrooms from November 15.
Panruedee Manomaipiboon, director of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)'s Health Department, said BMA’s decision to reopen schools was based on two factors – vaccination rate and ATKs. She explained that 90 per cent of school staff members in the city have been vaccinated, while continuous ATK tests will help boost confidence among students, teachers and guardians.
She said there are some 437 schools with some 22,000 employees across the capital.
“The NHSO’s decision to distribute ATKs among high-risk establishments like restaurants, markets, spas and massage parlours is another factor that has helped boost BMA’s confidence in reopening the city,” she said.
Meanwhile, NHSO secretary-general Dr Jadet Thammathat-Aree said reopening schools was far more important than reopening the country because getting children to go back to classrooms will help improve their quality of life. He also said that once schools can be reopened, the country will have risen victorious in the battle against Covid-19.
"Since children are key strategic targets as they may cause the Covid-19 to spread, good measures to curb infections and take care of their health are necessary,” he said.
