Bangladesh begins second phase of Covid-19 vaccination drive

Bangladesh Thursday began its second phase of inoculating people against the coronavirus disease amid uncertainty around vaccine availability. State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury got his second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. He took the first shot of the vaccine at the same medical facility on February 8.

“We should not depend only on vaccines to be free of coronavirus. Everyone should be more aware and abide by the health directives issued by the government,” the Minister said after receiving the jab.

State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak also got his second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at BSMMU, while Textile and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi received the jab at the National Heart Institute, Dhaka.

The government is supposed to get 50 lakh doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine every month as per a deal between India’s Serum Institute and Bangladeshi pharma company Beximco.

The country has so far received two shipments of 70 lakh doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. Apart from this, Bangladesh received two consignments of 32 lakh doses of the vaccine as gifts from India, reports UNB.