Bangladesh to vaccinate 11 million people in first two months in a drive scheduled to kick off in February

Bangladesh government plans to inoculate 6 million people in the country soon after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine shipments from India, Health Services Division Secretary Abdul Mannan said on Wednesday.
At a press briefing at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), he said Bangladesh would receive 2 million vaccines as gifts from India on Thursday.
“The shipment of 5 million vaccines is set to arrive on January 25 or 26,” he said.
As many as 400-500 people would be given doses at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Mugda Medical College and Hospital, Kurmitola General Hospital, and Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital on January 27 or 28, he said adding vaccine recipients under the dry run event will be kept under observation for a week.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would inaugurate the immunisation campaign via videoconferencing the day before the start of the dry run.
The health secretary further said the government wants to start the vaccination drive from the first week of February,
“According to our plan, 6 million people will be vaccinated in the first month and 5 million in the second. Then the first 6 million people will receive their second dose of vaccination in the third month,” he added.
ICT Division Senior Secretary NM Zeaul Alam while commenting on the drive said the vaccine registration app, meant for registering candidates online, will be handed over to the Health Ministry on January 25.
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) director general asked the media to stay away from spreading misinformation regarding the side effects of the vaccine.
“Some side effects occur after vaccination. I expect media to raise awareness on the drive and dispel the mistrust,” Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam said.