Covid-19 deaths in Myanmar have surpassed 3,000, pandemic-related restrictions continue to choke the economy and people’s livelihoods, but finally there’s a light at the end of the tunnel: the vaccine has arrived here.
A total of 1.5 million doses of Covishield, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and produced by India's Serum Institute, arrived at Yangon International Airport yesterday.
A donation from the Indian government, the batch will be enough to inoculate 750,000 people, as two jabs are required, 28 days apart.
Myanmar will focus first on healthcare workers and government officials before moving on to the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. After that, Yangonites and other people living in highly populated areas—with high infection rates—can expect the vaccine.
“It is still necessary to be careful of Covid-19 after being vaccinated the first time,” Dr Tun Myint, Deputy Director-General of Yangon region’s Public Health Department, told state media. “Prevention guidelines are still required to be abided by until the second dose of vaccine is received to avoid the waste of valuable medicines.”
Serum Institute, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, says it is producing more than 50 million doses of Covishield a month. International clinical trials of the vaccine showed it had an overall efficacy of 70 percent, but could be around 90 percent when administered as a half dose followed by a full dose four weeks later.
A second batch will “soon arrive in Myanmar,” according to state media. As of this morning, the country has recorded 136,591 cases, 3,031 deaths and 120,543 recoveries.
