The National Health Security Board has recently approved the procurement of 8.5 million COVID-19 antigen test kits and planned to distribute them to the people.
 
          This will be an essential step to curb the current coronavirus wave that has disrupted Thai society and the economy.  
 
          Since June, when Delta infection was first reported, the number of daily cases in Thailand has rapidly surged, with more than 20,000 confirmed cases and between 150 and 300 deaths. 
Thailand is not alone. Countries in Southeast Asia are grappling with the Delta variant, pushing governments to restrict travel and economic activities.    
 
          Around 80% of persons with COVID-19 show mild or no symptoms, making the coronavirus spread swiftly because they are unaware of their infection and transmit the virus to others. 
 
          A high prevalence of COVID-19 is reported in many populated residential areas, especially in Bangkok’s low-income ghettos, in which household members crowd in small living spaces. Many of them do not have clues for their infection unless one (or more) of their family members show symptoms that, in many cases, develop into serious illness.      
 
          The best way to handle this situation, and the delta variant, is to make people aware of their infection so they will isolate themselves as quickly as possible. Providing them access to self-test kits, and free of charge, are vital.    
 
          Previously, only RT-PCR test is available in state and private laboratories and health facilities, with a daily capacity of 50,000 to 70,000 tests in total. An RT-PCR test requires at least 24 hours to get a result. Long waiting time for a test result and limited facilities providing RT-CPR tests have discouraged many people from getting the tests.
 
          To solve this challenge, Public Health Ministry, in collaboration with Food and Drug Administration, approved antigen test kits for both professional and home use in July, making the self-test kits available on counter sale. 
 
          However, many low-income households will not be able to afford the self-test kits. Many people, even the middle class, will hesitate to get tests if they must pay out of their pocket, especially in the ongoing economic downturn caused by the pandemic.  
 
          This prompted the NHSO to procure and distribute 8.5 million free antigen test kits to people nationwide. 
 
          It cost the government one billion baht. But we believe the outcome is worthless. It does not just help curb the spread of the coronavirus while opening the path for us to resume normal lives. It will also ensure health equity as people will be able to get tests regardless of their incomes.     
 
          The NHSO has been working with the Government Pharmaceutical Organization and Rajavithi Hospital to find the supplier with quality products and the right price. 
 
          We expect that, by September, millions of self-test kits will be handed through health providers and pharmacies across the country. The beneficiaries are Thai citizens and migrant workers whose lives are threatened by COVID-19 indifferently.    
 
          We have planned to distribute more antigen test kits throughout the 2022 fiscal year as we will likely live with the coronavirus in the next one to two years. 
 
          Providing free self-test kits is not a new initiative. We have learned its benefits in other countries, including England, where people without COVID-19 symptoms can order rapid lateral flow test kits online with the National Health Service (NHS). 
 
          They will receive the test kits, which can provide results in 30 minutes via postal service, or pick up the devices at test collection sites and pharmacies near them. 
 
          In Singapore, the government announced the distribution of antigen test kits to all households as part of its effort to adopt an approach of “living with the coronavirus” instead of pressing restrictions on people's mobility and economic activities.  
 
          The Singaporean government has started providing antigen test kits to people linking to COVID-19 clusters, including residents and visitors who visited markets and food centers connected to the Jurong Fishery Port, the recent largest cluster in the country.
 
          Early this month, the government of the Netherland announced that it would offer two free self-test kits to eight million households as part of a campaign urging Dutch people to test themselves on their return of summer vacation. 
 
          These examples show that many countries see the benefits of extensive testing and its crucial role in border reopening. 
 
          However, testing alone is not enough. We need to implement an effective COVID-19 vaccination program. Thai government has put a great effort into securing vaccines, both mRNA and inactivated vaccines, from manufacturers. 
 
          The NHSO will support all the measures taken by the government to keep the society and economy running despite the unending pandemic.