Vaccinated people face lower risks of respiratory problem, hospitalisation and fatality, according to a recent  study of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research. According to the study 11% of unvaccinated Covid patients suffered from breathing difficulties whereas the rate was 4% among the vaccinated ones. Read: Bangladesh receives around 8 lakh doses of AstraZeneca vaccine Besides, the hospital admission rate among those received double doses of Covid shots was only 7% while it was 23 % for the unvaccinated. IEDCR conducted the study on 1,334 people aged above 30 and tested positive between May and June.  Of them, 592 did not receive a single vaccine dose and 306 were fully vaccinated. Seventeen (3%) of the unvaccinated patients died while only one of the vaccinated ones (0.03%) died during this time. Read: 30 lakh doses of Sinopharm vaccine to reach Dhaka Thursday night, Friday Besides, 19(3%) of the unvaccinated group required ICU support while only 3(below 1 %) of the vaccinated ones needed it. The study found that most of the patients who had to be hospitalized even after vaccination had underlying health complications. Besides, presence of antibodies has been found among 98% of people who were vaccinated, according to a separate study of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital. Read: Bangladesh receives 30 lakh Sinopharm vaccine jabs The study suggested that antibodies have been found in people who got their vaccine after recovering from Covid-19. The study was conducted on 209 people between April-July this year.

The Oxford- AstraZeneca vaccine produced a strong immune response among vaccine recipients enrolled in a study by scientists at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDRB) and the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).  Both the institutions said their findings were 'encouraging', raising hopes of strong protection for the age groups most at risk from the virus. The vaccine recipients were aged between 40-73 years and from Dhaka city, with or without a history of Covid-19.  The ICDDRB and IEDCR scientists measured the levels of Covid-19 IgG antibodies in the blood of 120 participants before vaccination and then at one and two months after receiving their first dose of the vaccine through the government's vaccination campaign  It was found that one month after vaccination, 92% of people who received the first dose of the vaccine have at least a high immune response, while 97% of them have an even higher immune response two months after the first dose of vaccination.  The cut-off for a positive immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody response to the spike protein of Covid-19 was set at 500 ng/ml using 355 serum samples collected before the onset of the pandemic. Forty-six participants – with an average of 48 years of age and previous RT-PCR test confirmed Covid-19 infection history between April 2020 and January 2021 – were included in the analysis.  Participants who had a previous Covid-19 infection – one month or earlier before vaccination – showed a more robust response after receiving the first dose of the vaccine.  Fourfold higher antibody response was seen among these participants at two months after receiving the first dose of the vaccine.  Also read: Icddr,b studies effects of asymptomatic COVID-19 in heart patients Expert view: Too small to be conclusive The task of a Covid-19 vaccine dose is to prepare the body to fight back against the virus "no matter how old someone is."  Dr Firdausi Qadri, a senior scientist at ICDDRB, said: "We now know that the Covishield vaccine triggers a robust immune response in Bangladeshi adults which is a piece of great news. However, we will continue working on evaluating the neutralising ability of the antibody and the T and B cell responses. We will also continue assessing the effectiveness of the vaccine in our setting." Professor Tahmina Shirin, director of IEDCR, said: "Our analysis confirmed that the vaccine works and people should get it when their turn comes. However, everyone should continue wearing a face mask and maintain physical distancing along with personal hand hygiene."   However, former IEDCR director Dr AM Zakir Hussain said, "To ensure the validity of study findings, certain methodological aspects need to be stressed." "The second issue is, the findings on antibody in itself does not mean protection unless it is shown to have neutralised the virus. The study is yet to explore this aspect," Dr Zakir added. "Even the Oxford University researchers in at least three surveys did not find the protection level to be more than 80% under any circumstances. This survey included 13% of those who already developed an antibody from their infection before their vaccination. They cannot in anyways be included as samples for this study."  "The actual sample size is way below a requisite sample size to afford validity to the findings. IEDCR and ICDDRB in the past also revealed some study findings only to create commotion. I believe this study finding will also have to do a lot of explaining as too many questions will be raised again," the former IEDCR director added. ICDDRB and IEDCR have started a large-scale study at 12 sites in eight divisions across Bangladesh that will involve about 6,300 participants who will complete their full course of vaccination. Participants will be followed up for two years in a longitudinal design for assessing antibody responses after vaccination to determine the longevity of antibody response. Also read: Ivermectin shows promise against Covid-19: icddr’b The Oxford University- AstraZeneca  vaccine has been licensed for manufacturing under the brand Covishield  by India's Serum Institute.

A confirmed case of Indian Coronavirus strain has been detected in Bangladesh, says the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research(IEDCR). "The Indian variant of Coronavirus was detected in a sample test at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. It has been published on Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data(GSID)," said chief scientific officer of IEDCR ASM Alamgir. Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) DG Dr ABM Khurshid Alam also told the media that the Indian variant of Coronavirus has been found in Bangladesh. The infected patients returned from India. They had been there for treatment, and now they’re staying in Jeshore,” he added. Professor Nasima Sultana, additional director general of the institution, also confirmed the development at a press conference in the afternoon. She said, “Jessore University of Science and Technology and IEDCR conducted separate examinations on the samples of 8 persons in Jessore. The Indian variant was  found in 2 of them by both the institutions.” Also read: Border with India to remain shut for another 14 days “ Besides, 4 other samples tested there were found very similar to that of the Indian strain,” she added. Besides, the DGHS said 60 of India returnees, who are now there in institutional quarantine, came here after getting infected there. But it is not sure yet whether they were infected with the Indian variant, it said. The Genome Centre of Jessore University of Science and Technology also confirmed the findings through a press release today. According to the press release, three among 16 Indian returnees tested positive for Covid-19 recently after entering Bangladesh. Their samples were collected from Jessore General Hospital and sent to the university lab on May 6. A research team, led by the Assistant Director of the Genome Centre Dr Md Iqbal Kabir identified  the Indian Covid variant in two of the collected samples through sequencing. Earlier, on May 3, the DGHS said the government would be confirmed within a few days whether the highly contagious Indian variant of coronavirus has already reached Bangladesh as an investigation was on in this regard. Also read: Indian Covid Strain: Two more cases identified in Jessore Speaking at a virtual press briefing, DGHS spokesperson Dr Nazmul Islam, said, "We may be able to say it in a few days whether the Indian strain of Covid-19 has come to Bangladesh or not." He said the samples of those who tested positive for coronavirus after entering Bangladesh from India are being collected. “These samples are being sent for genome sequencing…we’ll share it with you immediately after receiving the report.” India is experiencing a horrific Covid situation as its crematoriums and burial grounds are being overwhelmed by the devastating new surge of infections tearing through the populous country with terrifying speed, depleting the supply of life-saving oxygen to critical levels and leaving patients to die while waiting in line to see doctors, reports AP from New Delhi. India recorded over 4 lakh new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours ending 8 am Saturday, taking the country’s total caseload to over 2.18 crore. Out of these, over 37 lakh cases are currently active while over 1.79 crore people have recovered. With 4,187 new deaths, the toll now stands at over 2.38 lakh. At least 14 states are reporting cases in five figures. Also read: India's surge hits southern states, prompts more lockdowns Maharashtra reported about 54,000 cases, Karnataka had nearly 49,000, while Kerala had over 38,000. On April 26, Bangladesh closed its border with India for any kind of movement except that of cargoes for the next 14 day to prevent the spread of the deadly Coronavirus. The Indian variant of Covid-19 viruses mutate all the time, producing different versions of themselves. Most of these mutations are insignificant - and some may even make the virus less dangerous - but others can make it more contagious and harder to vaccinate against. The original India variant - officially known as B.1.617 - was first detected in October, reports the  BBC. That version has now been re-characterised as three different subtypes, all with slightly different genetic mutations. India has said a new variant of the coronavirus first discovered there in March may be linked to a deadly second wave, according to another BBC report. Samples containing the "double mutant"- or B.1.617 variant - have been found in several states with high case numbers. An official at the National Centre for Disease Control said, however, that they had still been unable to fully establish a correlation. A double mutant is when two mutations come together in the same virus.

A special team from the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) on Tuesday noon arrived in Sylhet to test twenty-nine UK returnee expatriates who tested positive for coronavirus.

Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora, the director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), been made the additional director general (planning and development) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

A Covid-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Research and Development Co Ltd, a Chinese company, will be approved for use on Bangladeshi health workers after getting its satisfactory results, Health Services Division Secretary Abdul Mannan said on Tuesday.

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) lifted the lockdown from Wari on Friday midnight, 21 days after it was enforced. 

As fear grows among people over the fast transmission of deadly coronavirus and taking treatment going to a doctor or hospital has become riskier for all kinds of patients, including the covid-19 ones, telemedicine services have appeared as a solution amid the pandemic crisis.

Bangladesh saw a big jump in the coronavirus cases by 112 people in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of infected people to 330.

The district administration has decided to impose a lockdown  on the district to prevent spread of coronavirus.