Anutin worried that bars, restaurants serving booze could be Covid hotspots
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Wednesday that he is concerned bars and restaurants which serve alcoholic beverages to dine-in customers could become hotspots for Covid-19.
“Establishments that serve alcoholic beverages to customers must strictly follow Covid Free Setting measures, as well as other disease control measures announced by the ministry,” he warned.
“Provincial communicable disease committees must inspect these businesses thoroughly before they are allowed to reopen. Cooks, servers and other staff must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 at the rate required by Safety & Health Administration [SHA] and SHA Plus standards,” Anutin said.
“Furthermore, customers should make sure they are fully vaccinated before entering these venues,” the minister said.
“If all preventive measures are strictly followed, we will soon be able to reopen other businesses as well.”
Anutin also said that so far less than 10 million people in Thailand have yet to be vaccinated.
“Most in this group live in remote areas, while the ministry is preparing to dispatch mobile vaccination units to give them jabs as soon as possible,” he said.
“People who have reserved alternative vaccines with private hospitals but have yet to get a jab schedule can receive a shot of the government’s vaccine to increase immunity in the meantime,” Anutin advised.
“Currently we have mRNA vaccines, namely Pfizer and Moderna, in stock, which have been directly donated to the government. You can inform a nearby hospital or vaccination unit if you want to be inoculated, while doctors will consider giving booster shots depending on a person’s vaccination history and risk level,” he added.
