The regular vaccination campaign will continue although the administration of the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine is scheduled to be stopped on February 26, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Tuesday.

"We will remain busy with second dose and booster dose activities after February 26. However, even if the administration of the first dose vaccine will temporarily get less attention , the progrmme  will continue," said the minister while addressing a press conference on Tuesday at BCPS Bhaban in Mohakhali of the capital.

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The minister said a nationwide vaccination program will be launched on February 26. "I urge everyone to get vaccinated. We will vaccinate everyone on that day."

"We are preparing to administer 1 crore doses of vaccine under this special vaccination program," he said.

"If necessary, we will administer 1.5 crore doses. We have 10 crore Covid vaccine doses in stock," the minister added.

Zahid Maleque further said, "We have vaccinated more than 8 million people  and we have the capacity to vaccinate more."

"I have talked with many including bus, truck, shop owners' associations  about this special program.With the cooperation of all, we will surely succeed.

The Health Minister said that Bangladesh is ahead of Russia and Turkey in vaccinating people against Covid-19.

According to Bloomberg, an international organisation, Bangladesh has ranked 10th among 200 countries in the world in terms of vaccinating people against Covid, said the minister.

He said, "We have administered 18 crore doses of vaccine while 17 crore vaccines were administered in Germany, 16 crore vaccine doses in Russia, 14 crore doses in Turkey, 12 crore doses in Thailand, and only 3 crore doses in South Africa."

Read:10 million vaccine shots to be administered on Feb 26: Health Minister

"We have been able to bring 86 per cent of our targeted population under first dose of vaccine and  65 per cent under 2nd dose. Besides, 32 lakh people have been vaccinated with booster doses," he said.

The government has administered 1.5 crore doses of vaccines to the students, aged 12 or above, he added.

Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof. Dr. ABM Khurshid Alam, Additional Director General of DGHS Mirzadi Sebrina Flora, Prof. Dr. Ahmadul Kabir and Director of Vaccination Program of the DGHS Dr. Shamsul Haque were present among others in the event.