An influx of Myanmar citizens seeking flu shots from the Nakornmaesot International Hospital in Mae Sot, Thailand, has exhausted the hospital’s supply of H1N1 vaccinations.
Although there have been no reports of a serious outbreak of H1N1 in the Myanmar border town of Myawady, residents have nonetheless been crossing the border in huge numbers to get vaccinations against the virus.
Myanmar hospitals do not carry the vaccination, and few Myanmar people receive routine annual flu vaccinations.
“I went to the Mae Sot international hospital today to get vaccinated against H1N1, but because the drug was sold out, I had to fill out forms and pay money to be added to the queue,” one Myawady resident told Eleven.
The hospital had previously sold the German made Fluarix Tetra vaccine for 500 baht (US$15) each, but the price was raised to 1,000 baht ($30) after July 5. The Myanmar outbreak was first reported in late July.
The rush to get vaccinations among Myanmar citizens has not spread to the Thai population, many of whom routinely receive annual vaccinations against flu viruses.
As of yesterday, 12 people in Myanmar have died from H1N1 infection since the current outbreak began, and over 50 have been confirmed infected.
Though deaths from H1N1 had been rare in Myanmar until last month, national health authorities have stressed that the outbreak is a regular, seasonal occurrence.
