75 lakh people to get booster shots on Tuesday
Health minister says, currently the country has 2.78 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines
About 75 lakh people across the country will receive booster doses in the special Covid-19 vaccination campaign on Tuesday (19 July).
"Some 16,181 vaccination booths have been prepared throughout the country where some 33,246 vaccination workers and 49,869 volunteers will help facilitate inoculation," Health Minister Zahid Maleque said in a press conference at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Dhaka on Monday.
The minister said the government has already given a first dose to 76.05% of the country's population, a second dose to 70.3%, and a booster dose to 17.9% of the total population of the country to control the pandemic.
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"At present, the country has a stock of 2.78 crore doses of five Covid-19 vaccine brands (AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Sinopharm, Sinovac and Johnson & Johnson)," he said.
"Vaccines reduce the risk of death from Covid-19. Studies have shown most people who received at least two doses of the vaccine and a booster dose did not require hospitalisation even if they are infected," Maleque said, adding that "Those who are yet to take a booster dose should get it right away."
People who received the second dose four months ago will get a booster dose now.
"Children between the ages of 5 and 11 will be brought under the vaccination programme. Registration can be completed online on the 'Surokkha app', requiring a digital birth registration certificate," he said.
DGHS said giving a first or second dose will continue on the booster dose campaign day as well.
Earlier in June, there was another weeklong booster dose vaccination campaign.
A total of 12.95 crore people have been administered the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine till Monday while 11.98 crore received the second dose. As many as 3.44 crore people received the booster dose till 18 July, according to DGHS.
7 deaths, and 1,072 cases were reported on Monday
Bangladesh reported seven deaths and 1,072 cases in a 24 hours period till 8 am Monday.
The positivity rate was recorded at 9.77% during the same period after testing 10,974 samples across the country.
So far 29,241 people have died and 19,97,412 tested positive for the virus in Bangladesh since 2020.
