BANGKOK: The Ministry of Public Health will provide free flu vaccines to Thais in high risk groups from May 1 to September 30, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.
Three million doses of flu vaccines will be provided to four risk groups: patients with chronic diseases, elderly people aged 65 years and older, children between three months and two years old and pregnant women.
The vaccines are funded by a state budget of more than 400 million baht (US$12.37 million).
The Bureau of Epidemiology (BOE) from the Department of Disease Control (DDC) said flu outbreaks usually take place during rainy and winter seasons with about 900,000 Thais contracting influenza every year.
A total of 26,645 flu cases and 35 deaths affecting mostly children and teenagers were reported between Jan 1 to April 4 this year. –BERNAMA