Vaccine campaign: Second dose at the same centre

Citizens, who took a first dose of the coronavirus vaccine in a nationwide six-day inoculation campaign last month, will be administered the second dose starting Tuesday at the same centre where they took the first shot.   

Starting from Tuesday, the second dose campaign will continue until 12 August at union, upazila, zila and city corporations, according to a meeting on Monday presided over by the prime minister's Principal Secretary, Dr Ahmad Kaikaus.   

According to the meeting, people who got the first shot on 7 and 8 August in city corporation areas will receive the second dose at the same centre on Tuesday.   

Similarly, people who got the first dose on 9 and 10 August will be inoculated on Wednesday, the 8th. Citizens who received the first shot on 7 August in areas outside of the city corporations will get their second dose on Tuesday at the same locations where they got their first dose.    

Earlier, the health authorities conducted a nationwide first dose vaccination campaign from 7-12 August. As many as 50.70 lakh people were inoculated in that six-day campaign.     

Dr Shamsul Haque, member secretary of the Covid-19 Vaccine Management Taskforce, told The Business Standard (TBS) that people will have to bring the hard copy of their vaccine card or vaccination registration form to get the second shot. Elderly citizens and women will be prioritised in the campaign as was done for the first shot.     

Regular vaccination points will also continue their usual operations of administering both first and second doses during the upcoming six-day campaign, said Dr Shamsul Haque.

He said pregnant and lactating mothers will be able to receive the jab – first or second one – immediately after registration. They will not have to wait for a vaccine appointment SMS as they will have to show only the vaccine card or medical prescription confirming the pregnancy.

Asked whether the health authorities will hold mass vaccination campaigns in the coming months, he said it would depend on vaccine availability.   

So far, 3.91 crore people have registered for vaccination. Of them, 1.94 crore people have received the first dose while 87.33 lakh citizens have taken both doses. To date, as many as 1.97 crore people are waiting for their first shot.

Dr Haque said they are planning to set up more vaccination points as the inoculation of  vaccine aspirants is their duty.

Bangladesh has received around 3.88 crore shots so far in bulk-buy deals with India and China, vaccine gifts, and Covax, a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines.  

With 1.80 crore shots in stock, the health directorate is launching its second dose campaign on Tuesday.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque Monday said Dhaka will receive 2.5 crore shots in September : 2 crore from China, and 50 lakh shots from Covax.

The minister earlier said there are promises of 16 crore shots in September-January 2022.

Prof Dr Sayedur Rahman, pharmacology department chairman of  Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, emphasised the optimal use of available shots.

"We must prioritise people with comorbidity factors and elderly citizens. Only targeted vaccination can reduce Covid fatalities," he noted.