30 November 2021 -- Measot, a Thai town close to the Myanmar border, reopened in August 2021, allowing Burmese migrant workers in Thailand to return home. Since then, the special economic zone has been home to Myanmar people of all ages – from newly born children to grandparents.

As Thailand began opening borders, welcoming back thousands of Myanmar people who work in Thailand’s factories, farms and homes, WHO Thailand joined the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, to find out if returning migrants were protected from COVID-19, and what needed to be done to ensure infections could be minimized.

In November, the groups carried out a survey among Myanmar migrant workers to identify their knowledge, attitude, risk perception and health behavioral practices regarding COVID-19, and find out if they’d received any COVID-19 vaccine. The survey was carried out to inform the Thai government of the prevention and control measures required, and determine if a COVID-19 vaccination program needed to be established for Myanmar migrant workers.

The activity is part of the project titled ‘Enhancing risk communication and community engagement among Thai and Non-Thai people on COVID-19 vaccine communication’ technically supported by WHO and funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The survey spoke to 500 people from a variety of groups, including migrants with one-day passes working at Maesot border crossing checkpoints, people in the community, and Myanmar workers in Thailand from agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

During the two-day visit over 3,000 migrant workers were vaccinated by Thailand’s Maesot district health office, healthcare professionals and volunteer organizations.