January 19, 2022 at Conference Room, 6th Floor, Office of the President of Khon Kaen University – Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., the President revealed the present situation in Khon Kaen University after presiding over the 2nd/2022 Meeting of the Covid-19 Vaccination Administration Committee, Khon Kaen University, for laying strict measures against the pandemic for students and personnel.
Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D. said, “For the University’s implementation of vaccination, Srinagarind Hospital now moved the vaccination service place from Central Plaza to the area in front of the lecture hall on the 3rd Floor of the Lecture Building, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University. We have the capacity for injecting 1,500 people, who can be anyone, the public, students and staff of Khon Kaen University. The service will be in accordance with the proportion of vaccination allocated by Khon Kaen Province. Now, it will be mainly Pfizer. In February, we may have Astra Zeneca.”
“We found that 98% of students have had vaccination twice already, and gradually they will receive the third shot. I can say that Khon Kaen University is successful in this regard from the rate of students and staff receiving vaccination, which is very high.”
KKU President continued to explain, “From analyzing the situation of Covid-19 pandemic from the data of Khon Kaen Province and the whole country, it has been found that Omicron can be easily and rapidly contracted, but it is not severe. Therefore, the tendency now is for vaccination, especially among the risk group, so that the death rate will decrease. As for the ways of living, some strict measures may be released, while everyone still observes mask wearing, distance keeping and regular hand washing. Teaching and learning may resume onsite. But if the course professors think that this is near the end of the semester, they may keep on teaching online until the end and start the onsite classes next semester or during the summer session.”
Assoc. Prof. Charnchai also expressed his worries about the students and personnel, “With the tendency of Omicron virus that does not seem to be severe for the patients and the ways of living as well as measures taken in Thailand that are becoming less strict, I still would like to warn students and personnel to take precautions. All should receive the required vaccination so that the death rate will decrease. Even though the vaccine does not protect against infection of the disease, it will help lessening possibility of death from the sickness. All measures should still be taken, including mask wearing, hand washing, distancing, and refraining from risk activities.”
News / Photos: Mallika Naklek, a student under the Cooperative Education Program, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
