“I heard that the rest of the vaccines didn’t arrive, and that there might not be enough. Where are the shipments now, and who can administer them?”
These were just some of the concerns Facebook users had last week, before wide-spread protests against the military takeover completely dominated the news.
Myanmar received 1.54 million doses of India's Covidshield vaccine on January 22. The country's first vaccination was given to Daw Aye Mu Mu Ko, a senior nurse in Nay Pyi Taw’s 1000-bed public hospital.
The vaccines were developed by Oxford University and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. Under the first shipment Myanmar has enough vaccinations to inoculate 750,000 people, with more than 50 doctors and nurses already having receiving shots last week.
Before the military takeover, the civilian government had planned rollout its vaccination program on February 5.
Officials at the Ministry of Health and Sports say that despite political developments, the Ministry of Health and Sports is still planning to continue vaccinations.
A second batch of 2 million vaccines were scheduled to arrive in the second week of February, according to Dr Khin Khin Gyi from the Central Infectious Diseases Control Division.
In addition, Dr. Khin Khin Gyi said that the current protests by health workers will not stop the vaccination campaign, and medical workers will ensure people receive vaccines and proper medical care.
"We will continue to work to get people vaccinated," she said. “I want to tell people to get vaccinated, and take good care of your health,” Dr Khin Khin Gyi said.
In addition to healthcare workers, a total of more than 100,000 government workers and parliamentarians have received the vaccine. Some staff worry that they may not be able to receive the second dose.
Daw Lay Lay Win, a nurse who was vaccinated in the last week of January, said only half of the vaccine had been administered and the no-one knew what would happen next. Daw Lay Lay Win is also unsure of when she’ll receive the second vaccination shot.
"I’ve only received half of the vaccination, and I don’t know when I can get the rest of it,” she said.
Phyo Lay, who lives in Kamaryut Township, said that it might be difficult to access good medications during the current unrest. He is a construction worker, and has decided to stop work for the time being.
"I am not excited about the vaccine, as I probably won’t receive it now,” Phyo Lay said.
Min Chan from Mawlamyine townshp said he had no expectations of anything getting better since February 1.
Daw Myat Mon, a 60-year-old woman suffering from high blood pressure said she was initially expecting the vaccine in the first few weeks of February but now thinks it unlikely she’ll receive the shot.
Min Thi, one of the doctors involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement, said there would be "peaceful protests" across the country and that doctors would always help in case of emergencies.
"We decided not to go to the government hospital, though," he said. “But in case of emergency, we will try to get help in other ways,” he added.
As of February 10, there are 141,448 recorded COVID-19 infections in Myanmar, with the number of test and positive cases dropping dramatically over the past week.







