Bangkok Covid-19 Omicron rate rising as people ignore vaccination, says lung expert

BANGKOK, Nov 7 (The Nation Thailand/ANN): A respiratory diseases expert on Monday urged people to keep getting vaccinated, warning that his hospital had seen an alarming rise in Covid-19 Omicron cases.

Manoon Leechawengwongs, a pulmonologist at Vichaiyut Hospital, wrote on Facebook that Omicron infections registered at the central Bangkok hospital rose from 778 in September to 986 in October.

Manoon cited the figures to warn people – especially those not fully inoculated with two jabs and a booster – to get vaccinated against the coronavirus as soon as possible.

He said Omicron cases seen in October included healthy young people who had not bothered to get fully vaccinated. These unprotected people risked developing lung infections and being admitted to the intensive care unit despite treatment with Molnupiravir antivirals, he added.

In contrast, the hospital found that people who were fully vaccinated with at least three doses suffered only mild symptoms after being infected with Omicron, said Manoon.

“I would like to urge everyone to get at least three shots of Covid vaccine and then get a booster every four months,” the doctor wrote. - The Nation Thailand/ANN