Seven risk groups to get free flu shots
 
Influenza risk groups will get free flu shots from May 1 onward.
 
The National Health Security Office (NHSO), in collaboration with the Department of Disease Control Ministry of Public Health, targets to provide 4.2 million shots that protect against three different flu viruses H1N1, H3N2 and Influenza B Victoria lineage.
 
The risks groups are;

• Pregnancies of  four-month or more
• Children aged  six months to  two years
• People living with seven chronic diseases,  chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, heart diseases, stroke, kidney failure, cancer that requires chemotherapy and diabetes.
• Elderly aged over 65
• People living with thalassemia and immunodeficiency (including HIV Infected and AIDS-defining illness)
• People with obesity (weigh more than 100 kg, BMI of 35 kg/m² or greater)
• People living with cerebral palsy require full time assistance

 


The NHSO Secretary-General Dr Jadej Thammatacharee said that influenza could cause mild to severe illness. The common symptoms include fever and a running nose.
 
Some patients may develop complications, including pneumonia, inflammation of the heart, brain or muscle tissues, and multi-organ failure that can lead to death.
 
Influenza infects between 10% and 20% of nearly 70 million Thai population. The infections are reported in all age groups, with severe illness being found mostly in the risk groups.
 
“Without protection, many people will fall ill while causing a burden to the health system and economic loss. Keeping them safe from influenza will also help save healthcare resources, which have already been exhausted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr Jadej.
 
“To avoid that, the NHSO has included influenza vaccines in the government healthcare schemes’ benefits packages. Everyone in risk groups can access free vaccine regardless of their registered healthcare schemes.”
 

Free flu shots have been provided to risk groups every year. In 2022, the NHSO will send SMS to all eligible persons and alert them to get vaccines in any state-own hospitals.
 
Eligible persons residing in the provinces can walk in any health unit and request free flu shots. But the Bangkok residents will be required to register in Health PaoTang mobile application and book the time with hospitals.
 
The shots will be given from May 1 to Aug 31 or until the vaccines run out.
 
In the final week of Apr, Dr Jadej said that the NHSO organized the meetings with hospitals’ representatives to prepare them to give vaccines to the recipients.
 
The hospital operators are aware that these flu shots are free for Thais and must be provided without charging the recipients, said Dr jadej.
 
For more information, contact the NHSO 1330 contact center, or the NHSO Line ID @nhso (or click https://lin.ee/zzn3pU6) and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NHSO.Thailand