Covid vaccines
Bangladesh now 'friendless': Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen’s frustration over not getting Covid vaccines from different countries has manifested that Bangladesh has become 'friendless' in the world.
“The Foreign Minister expressed deep frustration over not getting the corona vaccines after visiting several countries. He told the media that the rich countries aren’t willing to give Bangladesh vaccines. If this is the case, Bangladesh has become friendless in the world,” he said.
The Jatiya Party chief made the remarks while speaking at a meeting of Jatiya Jubo Sanghati at Jugantar Bhaban in the city’s Baridhara area.
READ: GM Quader wants crackdown on illegal arms
He said though the Foreign Minister has said the status of the country has enhanced across the world, Bangladesh ranked 106th in the 2021 Henley Passport Index while its position was 96th in 1996.
“The dignity of the Prime Minister and her cabinet member may increase in the world. The dignity of the common people hasn’t improved at all, but it has declined. That’s why those who now go abroad with Bangladeshi passports have to face various kinds of harassment,” the Jatiya Party chairman observed.
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said the country lacks good governance due to politicisation.
He said the country’s situation has turned so worse that now it is not possible to get a job even after becoming first in the examination without the affiliation with the ruling party.
READ: Waterways must be made safe: GM Quader
The Jatiya Party chief said the ruling party leaders are acquitted by court even after committing crimes as the laws are not enforced equally for all.
He said no one was above law during the rule of Jatiya Party founder HM Ershad. “So, people are expecting Jatiya Party as an alternative force to Awami League and BNP. They want Jatiya Party to return to power.”
GM Quader urged the party leaders and activists to strengthen the party by holding the councils of its all district units by December 31.
No vaccine crisis in the country, says Quader
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday trashed the criticism against the recent mass vaccination campaign describing the drive as effective and successful.
Quader, who is also general secretary of Awami League, said this while addressing a discussion meeting organized by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on the occasion of National Mourning Day this morning.
He asserted that there is no crisis of Covid jabs in the country and there won’t be in future.
Also read: Dhaka to receive 10 lakh Sinopharm vaccine doses shortly
"All that is being said about the implementation and delivery of the mass vaccination programme is unacceptable. Vaccines are currently coming from different countries and sources and it will continue to come in the next six months," he assured.
COVID vaccines to be required for military under new US plan
Members of the U.S. military will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine beginning next month under a plan laid out by the Pentagon and endorsed by President Joe Biden. In memos distributed to all troops, top Pentagon leaders said the vaccine is a necessary step to maintain military readiness.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the mid-September deadline could be accelerated if the vaccine receives final FDA approval or infection rates continue to rise.
“I will seek the president’s approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately upon” licensure by the Food and Drug Administration “whichever comes first,” Austin said in his memo sent Monday, warning them to prepare for the requirement.
The Pentagon plan provides time for the FDA to give final approval to the Pfizer vaccine, which is expected early next month. Without that formal approval, Austin needs a waiver from Biden to make the shots mandatory, and Biden has already made clear he supports it.
Read:US now averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections a day
Austin’s decision reflects similar moves by governments and companies around the world, as nations struggle with the highly contagious delta variant that has sent new U.S. cases, hospitalizations and deaths surging to heights not seen since last winter. The concerns are especially acute in the military, where service members live and work closely together in barracks and on ships, increasing the risks of rapid spreading. Any large virus outbreak in the military could affect America’s ability to defend itself in any security crisis.
Austin warned that if infection rates rise and potentially affect military readiness, “I will not hesitate to act sooner or recommend a different course to the President if l feel the need to do so. To defend this Nation, we need a healthy and ready force.”
In a statement Monday, Biden said he strongly supports Austin’s message to the force and the plan to add the COVID vaccine “to the list of required vaccinations for our service members not later than mid-September.”
Biden said the country is still on a wartime footing and “being vaccinated will enable our service members to stay healthy, to better protect their families, and to ensure that our force is ready to operate anywhere in the world.”
Austin’s memo, which went out Monday, was followed quickly by one from Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“The Secretary of Defense intends to mandate vaccinations for all Service members in the coming weeks,” said Milley, adding that the military’s medical professionals recommended the move. At the bottom of his message, Milley scrawled a handwritten note: “Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is a key force protection and readiness issue.”
The decision comes a bit more than a week after Biden told defense officials to develop a plan requiring troops to get shots as part of a broader campaign to increase vaccinations in the federal workforce.
More broadly, the COVID-19 crisis has worsened around the country, with hospitals experiencing deeper strain in unvaccinated areas of the South. Mississippi reported that 35 medical centers are completely out of intensive care unit beds, Arkansas topped its pandemic record for COVID admissions, and the average number of people hospitalized nationwide has returned to levels not seen since February. More patients are being parked in emergency rooms while they wait for beds to open up and the average number of daily deaths is now above 500.
The country is averaging about 108,000 new infections and 700,000 vaccines administered a day.
Austin said the military services will have the next few weeks to prepare, determine how many vaccines they need, and how this mandate will be implemented. The additional time, however, also is a nod to the bitter political divide over the vaccine and the knowledge that making it mandatory will likely trigger opposition from vaccine opponents across state and federal governments, Congress and the American population.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Monday that he believes the military has enough vaccines to meet the requirements. He added, “You can consider this memo not just a warning order to the services but to the troops themselves.”
Read:Thousands jam Philippine vaccination sites over false news
Democratic and Republican leaders of the House Armed Services Committee said vaccines have proven effective.
“Some may try and criticize the Secretary’s decision, using anti-vax arguments that are not supported by facts or science to politicize the conversation. These desperate attention seekers must be ignored,” said Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said the vaccine will help protect troops who live in cramped conditions and don’t have the option to telework.
Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., however, said Austin should not mandate a vaccine that doesn’t have full FDA approval. “Wearing our country’s uniform does not mean our service members sign away the right to make personal medical decisions,” he said.
The decision will add the COVID-19 vaccine to a list of other inoculations that service members are already required to get. Depending on their location, service members can get as many as 17 different vaccines.
Austin’s memo also said that in the meantime, the Pentagon will comply with Biden’s order for additional restrictions on unvaccinated federal personnel, including masks, social distancing and travel limits.
According to the Pentagon, more than 1 million troops are fully vaccinated and another 237,000 have received one shot. But the military services vary widely in their vaccination rates.
The Navy said that more than 74% of all active duty and reserve sailors have been vaccinated with at least one shot. The Air Force, meanwhile, said that more than 65% of its active duty and 60% reserve forces are at least partially vaccinated, and the number for the Army appears closer to 50%.
Military officials have said the pace of vaccines has been growing across the force, with some units — such as sailors deploying on a warship — seeing nearly 100% of their members get shots. But the totals drop off dramatically, including among the National Guard and Reserve, who are much more difficult to track.
Some unvaccinated troops have said they’d get the shot once it’s required, but others are flatly opposed. Once the vaccine is mandated, a refusal could constitute failure to obey an order and may be punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Army guidance, for example, includes counseling soldiers to ensure they understand the purpose of the vaccine and the threat the disease poses. The Army also notes that if a soldier “fails to comply with a lawful order to receive a mandatory vaccine, and does not have an approved exemption, a commander may take appropriate disciplinary action.”
Military service officials says the don’t have data on the number of troops who have refused other mandated vaccines, such as anthrax, chicken pox or flu shots over the past decade or more. And they weren’t able to provide details on the punishments service members received as a result of the refusal.
Read:US plans to require COVID-19 shots for foreign travelers
Officials said they believe few troops have refused other mandated vaccines, and the discipline can vary.
Also, service members can seek an exemption from any vaccine — either temporary or permanent — for a variety of reasons including health issues or religious beliefs. Regulations say, for example, that anyone who had a severe adverse reaction to the vaccine can be exempt, and those who are pregnant or have other conditions can postpone a shot.
Navy officials said last week that there has been only one case of COVID-19 hospitalization among fully vaccinated sailors and Marines. But, the Navy said there have been more than 123 hospitalizations in a similar group of unvaccinated sailors and Marines.” It said fewer than 3% of its immunized troops have tested positive for COVID-19.
The other military services did not provide similar data.
Global Covid cases near 199 million
The overall number of global Covid cases is fast approaching the 199-million mark as different countries continue their battle against the deadlier Delta variant of coronavirus amid slow vaccination rate.
According to US-based Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 198,891,340 while the death toll from the virus reached 4,235,449 on Tuesday morning.
So far, 4,146,057,456 vaccine doses have been administered across the globe.
Read:Covid vaccination reduces chances of hospitalization, mortality: IEDCR study
The US, which is the world's worst-hit country in terms of both cases and deaths, has so far logged 35,131,393 cases. Besides, 613,679 people have lost their lives in the US to date, as per the JHU data.
According to AP, the US on Monday finally reached President Joe Biden’s goal of getting at least one Covid-19 shot into 70% of American adults -- a month late and amid a fierce surge by the Delta variant that is swamping hospitals and leading to new mask rules and mandatory vaccinations around the country.
Brazil recorded 389 more Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, raising its national death toll to 557,223, the health ministry said on Monday.
Meanwhile, the total caseload rose to 19,953,501 after 15,143 new cases were detected.
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 31,695,958 on Monday as 40,134 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.
Besides, as many as 422 deaths due to the pandemic have been reported since Sunday morning, taking the total death toll to 424,773.
Although the situation in Europe is improving, globally, it is worsening as the Delta variant of Covid-19 has now been detected in 124 territories worldwide, says the World Health Organization (WHO).
Read: Govt has set up 16,000 Covid beds since the beginning of pandemic: Zahid Maleque
Situation in Bangladesh
The scale of the Covid-19 pandemic in Bangladesh looks to be overwhelming as the country added 246 fatalities to its national tally on Monday, reporting over 200 single-day fatalities for the last nine days.
The rapid rise in cases and fatalities, driven by the Delta variant, shows the worst days of the pandemic are far from over here since the pace of hospitalisation across the country remains relentless.
The Covid-19 infections are at their peak now, with 14,241 new cases reported on an average each day.
Bangladesh recorded 15,989 new cases on Monday after testing 53,462 samples, up from 13,862 logged on July 30.
The country reported the highest daily Covid-19 fatality number – 258 – on July 27 and 16,230 infections the next day.
There have been 1,280,317 infections and 21,262 coronavirus-related deaths here since the pandemic began, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.
Meanwhile, the daily test positivity rate fell to 29.91% from Sunday's 29.97%, while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 5% or below rate.
However, the recovery rate rose to 86.60%, and the case fatality remained unchanged at 1.65% compared to the same period.
Read: Covid in Bangladesh: Seniors far more likely to face the worst
Amid growing concerns about the highly infectious Delta variant, Dhaka division reported the highest 76 deaths, Chattogram 64, Khulna 30, Rajshahi 22, Barishal 16, Sylhet and Rangpur 14 each, and Mymensingh 10.
So far, Bangladesh has administered at least 13,459,811 doses of Covid vaccines – enough to have vaccinated around 4% of the country's population, assuming every person needs two doses.
Logging highest 6,182 deaths and 336,226 new cases, July has become the most fatal month since the reporting of first Covid cases in the country in March 2020.
Covid-19: Bangladesh lowers vaccination age to 25
The government has lowered the minimum age limit for taking Covid-19 jabs to 25 from 30 years in a bid to give a boost to the lagging vaccination rates in the country.
From now on, people aged 25 and above are eligible to register for taking vaccines through Surrokha app, said sources at the health directorate on Thursday.
The official app, launched by the ICT Division of Bangladesh for providing the facility to register for vaccination, also came up with the information.
Also read: All will get Covid vaccine shots, reassures PM Hasina
Earlier on July 19, the government lowered the age limit from 35 to 30 for vaccine registration.
Govt deceiving people over Covid vaccines: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday alleged that the government is misleading people by talking about giving them the Covid vaccines at the union level though it could not yet collect adequate doses.
“They (govt) have put people’s lives and their livelihoods at stake with their indifference, incompetence, and failures. They’re now deceiving people with lies and hypocrisies. They could not yet fully collect the vaccines and bring three crore doses from India,” he said.
Speaking at a virtual discussion, the BNP leader said, “But they’re now saying that they'll provide the vaccines at the union level. These are nothing but confusing the nation. This government can spread lies very well.”
Read: Bangladesh to resume vaccination with Astrazeneca jabs soon
Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal arranged the programme marking the first death anniversary of its former president Shafiul Bari Babu who died of Coronavirus last year.
Fakhrul alleged that the Awami League government has long been plundering public money and resources in the name of tackling Covid pandemic.
"They’re looting the hard-earned money that people pay as tax and the remittances that our expatriates send from abroad and the money that our workers earn working in garment factories. The newspapers are depicting clearly how a reign of looting is going on in the country,” he said.
Read: Vaccination at union level to start on Aug 7: Home Minster
The BNP leader said though unfortunate, it is fact that Awami League characteristically represents a class of ‘looters’. “We saw them looting the same way in 1972-75. They’re continuing the reign of plundering for the last 12 years.”
He said the government has not only destroyed the economy but also the education sector. “A terrorist and partisan woman has been made the principal of an educational institution like Viqarunnisa Noon School and College. The corrupt people are appointed as the vice-chancellors of different universities who are indulging in corruption in the name of appointments.”
Fakhrul said the government has been destroying all the achievements of the country by ruining its business institutions, health and education sectors.He said there is no alternative to waging a strong movement to ‘restore’ democracy and people’s rights by defeating the current ‘monstrous regime’.
Bangladesh to go for Covid vaccine coproduction soon: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Saturday said Bangladesh will go for coproduction of Covid-19 vaccines soon, emphasizing that there is no alternative to production of vaccines locally.
"It's a coproduction. They (partner countries) will send it in bulk and we’ll do other things here - bottling, labeling and finishing," he told reporters after receiving the first consignment of 2,45,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from Japan.
Dr Momen said the countries that went for coproduction of vaccines are doing well.
A cargo flight of Cathay Pacific Airways carried the vaccine doses that landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Also read: India working to resume vaccine export to Bangladesh, reiterates Doraiswami
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito, Health Services Division Secretary Lokman Hossain Miah and personal physician of the Prime Minister Professor Dr ABM Abdullah were present.
The vaccine doses came under the COVAX facility.
3 mn more Moderna vaccine jabs reach Bangladesh
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Monday night received three million doses of Moderna vaccine from the United States under COVAX facility as the government is trying to speed up the nationwide vaccination drive further.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque, Charge d’ Affaires at US Embassy in Dhaka JoAnne Wagner, , Health Secretary Lokman Hossain Miah and other high officials of the government were also present to receive the vaccine doses.
Dr Momen thanked US President Joe Biden and his Administration for coming forward with the vaccines.
"It came at a time when we need it very badly. We're thankful to the US government for supporting us," he told reporters after receiving the vaccine consignment.
Dr Momen said COVID-19 is a global challenge and all need to work in partnership and in collaboration to face this challenge.
He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared that vaccines should be public good and shared by all the countries without any discrimination.
Earlier, a special flight of Qatar Airways landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 9:06 pm carrying the vaccine doses.
Also read: 'It's just the beginning': US ambassador on Moderna shipment's arrival
Bangladesh already received the first consignment of 2.5 million doses of Moderna vaccine under the COVAX facility.
Buy Covid vaccines urgently with money from mega projects: BNP
BNP on Monday called upon the government to procure Covid vaccines on an emergency basis by diverting money allocated for mega projects as the pandemic has turned critical in the country.
“Our specific proposal is to identify the corona crisis as the number one problem at the national level and buy vaccines on an emergency basis by diverting required money from other sectors, especially from the money allocated for mega projects,” said party standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.
Speaking at a virtual press conference, he also said it is necessary to procure vaccines from different sources, including pharmaceutical companies, across the world. “We must take steps to collect crores of jabs immediately and then it will be possible to contain the virus in four-six months.”
Also read: Lockdown just ‘eyewash’, says BNP
Mosharraf, also a former health minister, said it is the responsibility of the government to buy vaccines and protect people from deadly virus infections and fatalities. “If they fail to do so, they must step down shouldering the responsibility for their failures.”
He said their party is deeply worried over the current corona situation. “We condemn the government’s failure to tackle the corona situation.”
The BNP leader demanded the government made public its plans to deal with corona and the roadmap for the collection of vaccines and their proper distributions. “BNP believes that the only way to control the situation is vaccination of 70-80 percent of the country's population as soon as possible. The government must take immediate steps to procure adequate vaccines and inform people about its roadmap on it.”
He alleged that people are dying and getting infected with the virus alarmingly due to the government’s negligence, corruption and failures to control the situation. “We do not see any sign of improvement in the situation until most people are vaccinated.”
Also read: Vaccines start arriving in fulfilment of prime minister’s commitment, says Quader
Mosharraf also urged the country’s people to wear masks and maintain the health safety rules to keep them protected from the virus.
He said the virus situation has come under control in the countries where 70/-80 percent of the population has been vaccinated. “But only 2.5 percent or 42, 81,776 have so far received two doses of vaccines in Bangladesh till June 27 due to the government’s utter diplomatic failure, irregularities in the purchase of vaccines and its waywardness.”
BNP vice-chairman DR AZM Zahid Hossain, party chairperson’s adviser Dr Farhad Halim Donar, Doctors Association of Bangladesh’s president Prof Harun Al Rashid, secretary general Dr Abdus Salam and BNP’s health affairs secretary Rafiqul Islam also spoke at the press conference.
Also read: Ensure treatment of Covid patients: BNP
First batch of purchased Chinese vaccines to arrive soon: Envoy
The first batch of Covid vaccines Bangladesh has purchased from China will arrive here soon, according to the country’s ambassador in Dhaka Li Jiming.
The Ambassador said this while delivering an on-line lecture to the students of Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) course 2021-2022 on "Chinese Foreign Policy: Implications on South Asian Region" held on Sunday
Also read: Bangladesh rolls out Sinopharm vaccine
He did not specify any time on the arrival of the jabs.
However, Bangladesh hopes to get 1.5 crore doses of vaccine- 50 lakh doses each month - from China as planned.