Covid-19 vaccine jabs purchased from India are likely to arrive further in June, said an official from the central epidemiology unit at the Ministry of Health and Sports. 

Myanmar has already seen 3.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine arrive and 28 million more doses are due to arrive, said Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, also chairman of the State Administration Council, during his Myanmar New Year Day message on April 17.

“We can’t say exactly. But I heard more vaccine doses will probably arrive in June, the official said. 

The Covid-19 vaccine Myanmar is currently using is Covishield produced by Serum Institute of India (SII) after seeking copyright from the one jointly developed by Oxford University and Astra Zeneca. 

Of the 30 million doses we have bought from India, we are due to receive 28 million. We don’t know exactly when they will arrive. They will not come simultaneously. They will come in batches. We cannot accept them as a whole, according to the nature of a vaccine. They have their life span, expiry date and manufacturing date. The expiry date is just about five months away from the manufacturing date. Those arriving in our country in January were produced in December. Vaccines will come depending on our storage capacity,” the official commented. 

Currently, over 60-year-olds and service personnel are receiving Covid-19 jabs in some regions and states, while some regions are vaccinating even those aged over 18. Plans are also underway to vaccinate private healthcare staff, bank employees and transport officials, according to the ministry. 

Myanmar has 38.35 million people aged 18 and above requiring vaccinations. The nationwide vaccination is going on as earlier planned, the ministry said.