Covid vaccine to be available after 15 Jan: Health Minister
He added that in addition to Oxford, the discussion about the vaccine is also proceeding with Russia, China, and the United States
Health Minister Zahid Maleque today said the Covid-19 vaccine will be available in the country after 15 January.
The Minister made the announcement after signing a vaccine agreement with the Serum Institute of India at the Directorate General of Health Services in Sunday, reports Somoy News.
"Bangladesh will get the first shipment of the vaccine in January if everything goes well," said Health Minister.
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"After first shipment some three crore doses of vaccine will come home in 6 months at the rate of 5 million per month," he added.
He added that in addition to Oxford, the discussion about the vaccine is also proceeding with Russia, China, and the United States.
If more than three crore Oxford vaccine cannot be provided then the vaccine will be brought from another country, added the Health Minister.
On 8 December, Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old grandmother, became the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine shot outside of a trial as Britain began vaccinating its population.
Soon after the UK vaccine rollout, the US Food and Drug Administration said it authorised the use of Pfizer Inc's Covid-19 vaccine on December 12.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Bangladesh has reached 7,020 after 34 new casualties were reported on Saturday. Some 1,329 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours till 8am Saturday, increasing the total number of infected patients to 489,178 in the country.
The country's maiden cases were reported on 8 March and the first death from the virus was reported on March 18.
