The impact of COVID-19 and control measures on public health in Thailand, 2020

Abstract

Background The COVID-19 virus has been an emerging disease causing global outbreaks for over a year. In Thailand, transmission may be controlled by strict measures that could positively and negatively impact physical health and suicidal behavior. Methods The incidence of COVID-19 was retrieved from the Department of Disease Control (DDC). The impact of viral diseases was retrieved from the open-source of the DDC and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. The road accidents data were from the Thai Ministry of Transport. The suicidal behavior data were obtained from the Department of Mental Health. We compared data from the year 2019 with the pandemic COVID-19 outbreak period in 2020, before lockdown, during lockdown, easing, and new wave period using unpaired t-test and least-squares linear regression. We compared the impact of the outbreak on various data records in 2020 with corresponding non-outbreak from 2019. Results There was a significant decline in cases of influenza (p < 0.001) and norovirus (p = 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in RSV cases (p = 0.17). There was a dramatic increase in attempt to suicides and suicides (p < 0.001). There was no impact on roadside accidents and outpatient department visits. Discussion The extensive intervention measures during lockdown during the first wave positively impacted total cases for each period for acute respiratory and gastrointestinal tract diseases, car accidents, and injuries and negatively impacted indicators of suicidal behavior. The data support government policies that would be effective against the next outbreak by promoting the “new normal” lifestyle.

Editorial Comment

“…Additionally, countries such as Singapore, Japan, and Greece have promoted good hygiene practices and encouraged social distancing, which has helped to prevent the spread of the virus [130][131][132]. Countries such as Australia, Thailand, and Iceland have implemented strict border controls and quarantine measures for travelers, as well as imposing quarantine measures for infected individuals and their close contacts [133][134][135]. A total of 19 countries out of the selected 25 countries, including Israel, the United Arab Emirates, India, and Brazil, have implemented successful vaccination drives [136][137][138][139].…”

Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and associated factors among household contacts of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Bangkok, Thailand

“…At the time when the index cases were infected, Thailand was affected by the first clade S variant wave (approximately 3,042 cases) and the B.1.36.16 variant (34,602 cases) local transmission between March–May 2020 and December 2020–March 2021, respectively. Subsequently, Thailand encountered the Alpha variant wave, followed by the Delta variant outbreak in 2021 [ [2] , [3] , [4] , [5] ]. Almost all cases occurred in urban communities, especially in major cities such as Bangkok.…”

Contrasting Hygiene-Related Gastrointestinal Infections and Stress-Related Diseases at a Primary Health Care Facility within a Sub-Saharan African City: Before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…This study, therefore, retrospectively investigated differences in prevalence of gastrointestinal infections and stress-related diseases/disorders at a primary health facility in the capital city of Ghana before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of COVID-19 infection and its protocols on transmission has been assessed on some areas of health care [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. However, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to have examined the differences in occurrence of both gastrointestinal infections and stress-related diseases/disorders at the same facility, before (pre) and during (after the advent of) the COVID-19 pandemic.…”