Sinopharm Vaccine
FM reassures on adequate vaccine supply from multiple sources
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday indicated that Bangladesh will soon receive huge vaccine doses from a number of sources, including the ones that will come under the COVAX facility.
Bangladesh Mission in Geneva has conveyed that Bangladesh will receive 3 million doses of Moderna vaccine under the COVAX facility, Dr Momen said, adding that the shipment is ready.
Read:Covid vaccine supply: Gavi signs deals with Sinopharm, Sinovac for COVAX
Bangladesh has already received 2.5 million Moderna vaccine doses under the COVAX facility, said the Foreign Minister.
Dr Momen said Bangladesh will receive 2.9 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses from Japan instead of 2.5 million. “This shipment will come under the COVAX facility.”
The Foreign Minister said he will have a meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Tashkent on July 15 as China will give 1 million more doses of Sinopharm vaccine as a gift to Bangladesh. Bangladesh has already received 11 lakh doses of Sinopharm vaccine from China as a gift.
Dr Momen said Bangladesh will receive 1 million doses of vaccine from the European Union. In August, Bangladesh will receive 6 lakh 20 thousand doses of vaccine under the COVAX facility.
Read: 1.84 lakh doses of Moderna, Sinopharm vaccines reach Chattogram
Mass inoculation to restart Monday with Sinopharm, Tuesday with Moderna: DGHS
Mass inoculation for Covid-19 will restart from Monday (July 12) with Chinese vaccine Sinopharm in district and upazila hospitals and from Tuesday (July 13) with COVAX’s Modera jabs in municipal hospitals, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Sunday.
Line director of the vaccine deployment committee, Professor Dr Shamsul Haque announced the news during the regular Covid-19 bulletin of the DGHS.
By Sunday Moderna doses will reach vaccine centres across the country, while Sinopharm doses were sent Saturday to all the municipal centres, he said.
Also read: Massive vaccination to begin in July: PM
The additional stock has been ensured for sending to districts and upazilas, said Dr Shamsul Haque, mentioning that all the preparation for mass inoculation has been completed.
As from Monday and the next day, people across the country will start getting shots again, it can be said that mass inoculation for Covi-19 resumed, he added.
Dr Haque said the 1 lakh doses of Pfizer vaccine so far received will be administered at the seven hospitals of Dhaka and after that Moderna vaccine doses will be administered in these hospitals.
Also read: Registration for Covid vaccination to restart Thursday
In the other 40 Covid-19 vaccination centres of the city, Sinopharm vaccine shots will be administered till Monday and after that Moderna shots will be administered in those hospitals, he added.
Soon a decision will be taken on the urgent vaccination needs of the students who want to go abroad for study as a conversation with the Prime Minister is ongoing, said the line director of the vaccine deployment committee.
Until now expatriate workers were being vaccinated in seven centres of Dhaka, but from Monday they will be able to receive the shots from any medical college of the country, said Dr Shamsul.
1.84 lakh doses of Moderna, Sinopharm vaccines reach Chattogram
Some 184,000 doses of Moderna and Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines reached Chattogram on Sunday as the government is set to accelerate the inoculation drive amid the worsening corona situation.
Among the shots, 105,600 doses of Moderna MRNA developed by the USA, while the rest 78,400 are of Sinopharm developed by China, said a PID handout.
It is expected that the vaccination drive in Chattogram will begin on Tuesday (July 13).
Also read: Bangladesh to receive 60 lakh more Pfizer vaccine doses in Aug: Minister
The Moderna vaccine doses will be given in nine centres of the city, while that of Sinopharm at the upazila level. The people, aged above 35, would be able to receive the vaccines on completion of the registration process.
Civil Surgeon of Chattogram Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi received the vaccines of Moderna and Sinopharm, carried by freezer vans of Beximco Pharmaceutical.
Earlier, more than 8.5 lakh shots of Covid vaccines --762,000 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and 91,200 doses of Sinopharm vaccine-- were sent to Chattogram.
Also read: Bangladesh hopeful of receiving 3.5 mln vaccine doses from COVAX this month: FM
On January 31 last, some 456,000 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine reached Chattogram in the first phase, while 306,000 doses of the same vaccines on April 09 in the second phase. Later, some 91,200 shoots of Sinopharm vaccine reached the port city on June 18 last.
The Covid vaccination first began in Chattogram on February 7 last.
Registration for Covid vaccination to restart Thursday
Amid the deteriorating coronavirus situation, the government is going to resume the countrywide mass registration for receiving Covid-19 jabs from Thursday (July 8), said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Tuesday.
“The registration process will resume for all from Thursday morning,” Prof Dr Mizanur Rahman, Director (MIS) of the DGHS, told UNB.
“Currently, the registration is ongoing only in three categories on a priority basis. As the mass registration process resumes, all the categories will be available for registering through the Surokkha app as before,” he said.
Earlier, on June 30, Dr Shamsul Haque, member secretary of the Vaccine Deployment Committee, also made the same announcement at a virtual press briefing arranged by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
He said the Sinopharm jabs will be administered at 40 centers in Dhaka city and at all district hospitals from 8am to 3pm every day as in the past.
Also read: Bangladesh’s Covid catastrophe worsens; 163 more lives lost
Dr Haque said the vaccine will also be given at Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (BITID) in Chattogram and Saidpur Sadar Hospital during the same period.
He said those who got registered earlier but could not receive the vaccines will be given the Sinopharm jabs now while the medical and university students and those who are on the priority lists can get registered for the vaccine. “Everyone will get an SMS from a vaccination centre after the registration and all must receive the vaccine at that centre accordingly. “In this case, the vaccine card and NID card must be brought for receiving the vaccine.”
Dr Haque said the Covid vaccination centers will remain out of the purview of the lockdown. “Those who have vaccine cards will be able to go to the relevant centre showing it.”
He said the expatriate workers who stay in countries where the Sinopharm vaccine is accepted also can receive the vaccine at the centers both in Dhaka and outside. “But no one will get the vaccine without registration.”
Also read: Chinese firms working with Bangladeshi partners for vaccine co-production
Besides, Dr Haque said, the Pfizer vaccine will also be administered at seven centers--Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, Salimullah Medical College and Hospital, Mugda Medical College Hospital, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Kurmitola General Hospital, and Sheikh Russel National Gastroliver Institute and Hospital—in the capital.
He said the outbound expatriate workers who are not allowed to return to their workplaces without getting Pfizer vaccine can only receive the vaccine at the seven centers as per the list from the Manpower Export Promotion Bureau.
Dr Haque said those who are supposed to receive Sinopharm jabs from these centres will have to go to alternative centres.
Bangladesh receives 1st consignment of 2mn doses of Sinopharm vaccine
Bangladesh has received its first consignment of two million doses of Sinopharm vaccine.
A special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with the vaccines from China at around 12:40am Saturday.
Read: 'It's just the beginning': US ambassador on Moderna shipment's arrival
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and Health Minister Zahid Maleque received the vaccine doses on behalf of the government.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and other high officials of the government were also there to receive the Sinopharm vaccine doses purchased from China.
Read: Bangladesh receives 1st consignment of 2.5 million Moderna vaccine doses
The government has so far approved the emergency use of Oxford-AstraZeneca, Sinopharm (China), Sputnik-V (Russia), Pfizer-BioNTech (USA/Germany) and Crona Vac (China) vaccines.
2 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine to reach Dhaka soon
Commercially purchased two million doses of Sinopharm vaccine are on the way to reaching Bangladesh from China.
The consignment is expected to reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 1am in two aircraft of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, said Hualong Yan, deputy chief of mission at the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka.
Also read: Bangladesh to receive 45 lakh vaccine doses from COVAX, China within 2 days: Minister
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and Health Minister Zahid Maleque will receive the vaccine doses.
Bangladesh to receive 2.5mn Moderna jabs from COVAX July 2-3: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday said Bangladesh will receive 2.5 million doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine under the COVAX facility in two consignments on July 2 and July 3 respectively.
The Foreign Minister also said the first consignment of 2 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine will arrive soon.
“I think complexities over vaccine supply are eased,” he told reporters at Foreign Service Academy after a programme.
Dr Momen said huge money has been allocated and there is nothing to be worried about vaccine purchase. “We shouldn’t have faced any problem.”
Earlier, Deputy Chief of Mission at Chinese Embassy in Dhaka Hualong Yan said the first consignment of 2 million doses of vaccine as part of Bangladesh government's commercial purchase from China's Sinopharm are ready for delivery in Beijing.
READ: Individuals having appointments to be allowed to go to foreign missions during lockdown: FM
"China stands by our Bangladeshi friends in fighting the new wave of the pandemic," he said.
Bangladesh is likely to get 1.5 crore of Sinopharm vaccine doses from China while China says it is ready to supply more, if needed.
Earlier, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller tweeted saying Bangladesh will soon receive a gift of 2.5 million doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine from the American people via GAVI.
"As the largest contributor to COVAX, the U.S. is committed to increasing the country’s vaccine supply to beat the pandemic here and worldwide." Ambassador Miller said.
Bangladesh entered into a deal with the Serum Institute of India (SII) to purchase 30 million doses of a potential vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca for Covid-19.
Bangladesh was supposed to get five million doses of vaccine per month as the SII and Bangladesh’s Beximco Pharma signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for priority delivery of the vaccine doses.
Bangladesh has so far received only 7 million of Oxford-AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine doses produced by Serum Institute of India (SII) through its contract. Bangladesh also received 3.3 million doses of vaccine as a bilateral partnership gift.
Regarding the national budget he said, an “optimistic budget” has been passed despite bad days due to Covid-19 situation with an expansion of the social safety net. “It has been proved again that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a friend of the poor.”
Responding to a question on use of Myanmar’s SIM cards in Rohingya camps, Dr Momen said the government stopped 4G services in the camps to stop criminal activities and trafficking in person.
He, however, said they reintroduced it amid desperate efforts from the UNHCR and rights bodies.
The Foreign Minister said the government has had no direct communication with the Myanmar government since the military took over power there. “We’re observing the situation.”
READ: S Asian nations should receive vaccines without any strings attached: FM
Earlier, Dr Momen along with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam spoke at the function marking the launching of Foreign Service Debating Club. Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen was also present.
Bangladesh going to receive large Covid vaccine shipment from China soon
The first consignment of 2 million doses of vaccine purchased by the Bangladesh government from China's Sinopharm are ready for delivery in Beijing.
Deputy Chief of Mission at Chinese Embassy in Dhaka Hualong Yan on Wednesday said it will reach Dhaka soon.
Read: First batch of purchased Chinese vaccines to arrive soon: Envoy
"China stands by our Bangladeshi friends in fighting the new wave of the pandemic," he said.
Bangladesh is likely to get 1.5 crore of Sinopharm vaccine doses from China while China is ready to supply more, if needed.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh will soon get 2.5 million doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine under the COVAX facility.
Read:S Asian nations should receive vaccines without any strings attached: FM
Global Covid cases surpass 178.4 million
As Covid-19 is continuing to spread around the world the caseload has crossed 1758.4 million.
The total caseload and fatalities stand at 178,424, 674 and 3,864,442 respectively as of Monday morning. The latest figures have been released by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
So far, 2,600, 035,128 vaccine doses have been administered across the globe.
Read:Global hunger levels rise as conflict, climate shocks and Covid collide
The US, which is the world's worst-hit country in terms of both cases and deaths, has so far logged 33,541,889 cases, according to JHU.
Besides, 601,826 people have lost their lives in the US to date.
Brazil is experiencing a new wave of infections in hospitals as the country has registered 1,025 more deaths from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the national death toll to 501,825, the health ministry said Sunday.
A total of 44,178 new infections were detected, raising the total caseload to 17,927,928, the ministry said.
Brazil has the world's second highest Covid-19 death toll, after the United States, and the third largest caseload, following the United States and India.
Read: Bangladesh reports alarming 82 Covid deaths, highest in 52 days
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 29,881,772 on Monday with 386,708 fatalities.
Situation in Bangladesh
As the Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh has taken a turn for the worse again, 82 more people died of coronavirus in 24 hours until Sunday morning.
This is the highest daily death toll in the last 52 days as the country logged 88 deaths on April 29 this year.
During the period, 3,641 more Covid cases were detected after the test of 22,231 samples, said a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
With the new numbers, the country’s caseload now stood at 851,668 while the death toll at 13,548, said the DGHS handout.
Read: Covid claims three lives, infects 102 others in Chapainawabganj
Bangladesh is now administering the 1st doses of Sinopharm vaccine and the second dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.It will start administering Pfizer vaccine Monday.
So far 3,720 people received the first dose of China’s Sinopharm vaccine, including 764 in the past 24 hours.
Of the Astrazeneca vaccine, 4,270,322 people received the second shot and 5,820,015 the first one so far.
Bangladesh to start administering Pfizer vaccine doses Monday
Bangladesh’s health workers are gearing up to start administering the first doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in capital Dhaka on Monday as the Covid-19 situation keeps worsening in the country.
Prof Shamsul Haque, Line Director of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and a member of the Vaccine Distribution Committee, disclosed it in a health briefing on Sunday.
“We’ve already received 100,620 doses of vaccine from COVAX facility. We’ve preserved it. Necessary guidelines and training have been given. Hope, we’ll start the inoculation with it on Monday,” he said.
Read:Bangladesh rolls out Sinopharm vaccine
The vaccine will be administered first at three hospitals in Dhaka-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Sheikh Russel Gastro-liver Institute and Kurmitola General Hospital.
Those who got registered earlier for vaccination will get priority, Prof Haque added.
In each of these centres, 120 people will be vaccinated every day from 9 am to 3 pm.
People getting vaccinated in the first run of Pfizer vaccine will be monitored for 7-10 days before the regular vaccination programme with Pfizer is launched, said Dr. Shamsul Haque.
He also said that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine shots will arrive soon and those who could not get the second dose will get priority.
Read:Pfizer, Sinopharm shots to start June 19: Health Minister