Hospitals, field hospitals, community isolation centers, and finally home isolation

Abstract

Unlike the first and second waves of COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand which were limited among certain populations in certain areas, the third wave starting in April 2021 spread nationwide. It was from less than 10 new cases a day in 2020, to be around 2,000 a day in June and then more than 20,000 new cases a day in August 2021. Among four doctors who were killed by COVID-19 during this third wave in Thailand, the Royal College of Radiologists of Thailand lost a very active and warm member, Associated Professor Wilaiwan Bhothisuwan. When hospitals and field hospitals were full, now COVID-19 infected patients were cared in community isolation centers. Home isolation, the last and probably the final form of health care, was set in this August. The Royal College of Radiologists of Thailand had launched a project “RadioVolunteer” to interpret and report chest radiographs of COVID-19 patients in prisons, field hospitals where there were shortage of radiologists, some community isolation centers, and radiographic units for patients with home isolation.