Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) urged more than two million elderly people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the Songkran festival, as infections may skyrocket during the festive period.

The department warned that 2.17 million elderly people have not yet received any COVID-19 vaccination, meaning their health could be affected if they become infected.

Hi ASEAN family#NewsFromThailand🇹🇭

Between 1st January and 28th February, 928 elderly people died with Covid-19.🇹🇭

📌 Not vaccinated: 557 people
📌 1 jab: 77 people
📌 2 jabs: 271 people
📌 Booster jabs: 23 people

📄@ThaiNewsReports#Thailand #vaccination #COVID19 #Vaccine pic.twitter.com/kES7xk0YWq

— Think ASEAN (@thinkasean_) March 3, 2022

About 83 percent of the elderly population in Thailand is vaccinated with at least one jab, said DDC deputy director Sophon Iamsirithavorn.

Statistics provided by the department show that out of every 100,000 older adults in Thailand aged 60 to 69, 521 contracted COVID-19. The number is slightly lower for those over 70.

Thailand has recorded more than three million infected cases and 23,176 deaths.

-Thailand News (TN)