End panic by educatingWith the number of new Covid-19 infections increasing by almost 1,000 each day since the end of last week, the government is faced with the tough task of tackling the third wave of the virus which was linked to entertainment venues in Bangkok's Thong Lor area. Under such circumstances, an equally difficult (if not, more) difficult task that the government needs to tackle is controlling public panic, which, if allowed to go on, will make the fight against the coronavirus more complicated and costly. Over the past few days, there have been reports of people scrambling to seek Covid-19 test at public and private hospitals alike. Instead of rushing to hospitals, those who have come into contact with Covid-19 patients are supposed to self-quarantine for 14 days as a precaution. The government must strike a fine balance between promoting awareness and preventing public panic.

Source: Bangkok Post April 13, 2021 00:56 UTC