The President Office says the Myanmar government has ordered 30 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from India that are set to arrive by February, according to local media reports.

Zaw Htay, the President Office director general, told the media that the government has chosen the vaccine because it could be stored at 2–8 degrees
Centigrade, which is more suitable to handle given Myanmar’s warm climate.

News of the planned arrival of a vaccine comes as Myanmar’s tally of COVID-19 cases has reached 129,483 with a total death toll of 2,812, with the toll of the pandemic appearing slow down.

Myanmar has been seeking to source the vaccine from a number of countries including China, Russia, UK and USA. Myanmar people have been invited to donate to the government’s vaccine fund.