Shawdesh Desk:

The nationwide daylong Covid-19 vaccination campaign will be observed tomorrow (on July 19) to expedite the vaccination programme to combat the outbreak of the deadly virus.

“The government has decided to observe the nationwide vaccination for expanding booster dose coverage across the country to prevent the spread of coronavirus,” Health Minister Zahid Maleque told a press conference virtually at Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) here.
“The people aged 18 and above will be eligible for receiving Covid-19 booster dose during the daylong campaign …They (eligible people) will be inoculated booster dose after completing four months,” he added.

The government has set a target to inoculate 75 lakh people under booster and second dose during the daylong drive, the minister added.
Maleque said as part of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has brought 76.05 percent people under first dose of vaccination coverage, 70.3 percent under second dose while 17.9 percent people were brought under the booster dose coverage.

Bangladesh has been lauded globally for expansion of vaccination coverage which eventually has helped the countrymen to protect from the lethal virus, he said, adding: “Right now, the country has stocked 2.76 crore vaccines.”

As of July 17, a total of 27,98,37,374 doses of Covid-19 vaccines, including booster doses, were administered while the countrywide vaccination campaign was launched on February 7, last year.

“A total of 12,95,33,536 people were administered the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine till yesterday (Sunday) while 11,98,57,594 received the second dose across the country during the period,” according to a data issued by the DGHS.

As many as 3,0,4,46,244 people received the booster doses of the vaccine to prevent the spread of the deadly virus, it added.

“Till the date, Bangladesh received over 30 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines… Either the country got the vaccine doses under COVAX facilities or through purchase,” the DGHS added.

“The government has taken the decision to inoculate children aged between five and 12 years with Covid-19 vaccines after approval of the World Health Organization (WHO)… The country has sufficient number of vaccines, which are eligible for the children,” the health ministry sources said.

There are 2.20 crore children aged between five and 12 in the country, the ministry said, adding: “Registration is mandatory for them through “Surokkha App” for receiving the vaccine.”

On November 1, 2021, the vaccination campaign for students, aged between 12 and 17, began at eight centers in Dhaka city. Afterwards, the campaign has been expanded across the country.