The government will start administering the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine under its mass vaccination campaign on Sep 7, according to the chief of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Director General of DGHS Professor Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam disclosed the matter while talking to reporters after an event at the Central Medical Stores Depot (CMSD) auditorium on Wednesday. “Administering the 2nd dose won’t be a problem as we’ll have available stocks by then,” he reassured. Read DU asks students to provide their vaccination status Responding to a question whether the jab seekers can walk in to their vaccination centers without SMS from the concerned authorities,  he replied that details on the second dose will be elaborated after a meeting within the high officials of  DGHS and the health ministry. Dr Abul Bashar also claimed that the first phase of the mass vaccination campaign has been a huge success apart from a few isolated incidents. He also informed that around 60 lakh doses of Pfizer vaccine will  arrive in the country soon. Read DU asks students to provide their vaccination status He mentioned that they have received 561 ventilators from friendly sources which would soon be dispatched to 300 Covid designated hospitals across the country. Bangladesh on August 7 kicked off its mass vaccination drive aimed at inoculating as many adults as possible in a short period of time. However, on Monday, Health Minister Zahid Maleque  said that Bangladesh will not conduct any new mass Covid inoculation drive as the supply of vaccine doses is much lower than the demand. Read PM orders speeding up vaccination of industrial workers, families “No more mass inoculation drives will be held in the country now as we do not have adequate vaccines in hand and we’ll not use the word ‘mass’ in future,” he told reporters at the Secretariat.

Bangladesh will resume vaccination with Astrazeneca shots within the next few days, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque. “We’ll resume vaccination with Astrazeneca jabs within the next 2-1 days. Those who failed to take the second dose after getting the first one will be able to get it now,” he said. The minister said this while speaking to reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after receiving the second consignment of AstraZeneca vaccine doses from Japan. He said the government currently has a stock of more than 10 lakh doses of Astrazeneca vaccine. Read: Covid kills 218 more in Bangladesh as its catastrophe continues “We’ll get 6 lakh doses more of the vaccine on Aug 3,” Zahid added.

Bangladesh will resume vaccination with Astrazeneca jabs soon, said DGHS spokesperson Prof Dr Nazmul Islam on Wednesday. “We had to stop giving Astrazeneca vaccine to people halfway through due to its short supply. But we’re hopeful of resuming its rollout soon as we’ve received a supply from Japan,” he said during the regular briefing of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). "We’ll get more AstraZeneca supplies within a few days. The wait of those who’re worried about the second dose will hopefully end soon,” he added. Read: Vaccination at union level to start on Aug 7: Home Minster Responding to a question on why the vaccination drive with Astrazeneca has not resumed yet, the spokesperson said,” We’re waiting for the arrival of further supplies.” Bangladesh received the first consignment of 2,45,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from Japan on July 24. Read: Age limit to be lowered to 18 for Covid vaccination: Health DG The vaccine doses came under the COVAX facility. Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito earlier said Japan would provide a total of 3 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Bangladesh.

Achieving herd immunity through a massive vaccination drive can be the best option for Bangladesh to get rid of the deadly Coronavirus as all the steps, including the lockdown, have failed to slow down its upsurge in the country, experts said. Though many people are believed to have developed antibodies through infections, Bangladesh is not on its way to achieving herd immunity as Covid’s new variants like South African one can dodge people’s that type of immune protection, according to the experts. Read After Coronavirus: Police adopts yoga for enhanced immunity to disease They think the government should focus mainly on collecting at least 25 crore doses of the vaccine from different sources to attain herd immunity. They also said though some studies have raised questions about the efficacy of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine against the South African variant, most studies suggest it can at least reduce the mortality and morbidity rates. Herd immunity is a concept based on the body's immune resistance to the spread of a deadly disease or virus and it can be attained in two ways -- naturally or through infections of the majority population and artificially or through vaccinating at least 70% of the population of a country. Read Are some Covid-19 vaccines more effective than others? Far away from herd immunity Talking to UNB, Prof Muzaherul Huq, a former adviser to WHO South-East Asia region, said Bangladesh is not moving towards attaining herd immunity for the lack of a strong vaccination drive. “Bangladesh is far away from achieving herd immunity as only around 55 lakh people have so far given the first dose of Covid vaccine. The official figure about the virus cases is only 6,73,594. We don’t know how many people here have the antibody. So, we’ve an option to vaccinate our majority people for attaining herd immunity,” he observed. Also read: Is Bangladesh ready to distribute a Covid-19 vaccine?

More than 130.6 million people have been infected with Covid-19 with 2.8 million fatalities on Sunday, according to data compiled by johns Hopkins University (JHU). The total case count reached 130,659, 436 while the death tally mounted to 2, 845,012 as of Sunday morning, showed the university data. The US has recorded 30,671,074 cases and the country’s death toll reached  554,789. The US has surpassed the grim Covid milestone of 30 million cases on March 25. Besides, deaths from COVID-19 in Brazil surpassed 330,000 on Saturday after 1,987 new fatalities registered, bringing the country's death toll to 330,193, the Ministry of Health reported. Besides, 43,515 new cases were registered, bringing the national count to 12,953,597. Brazil is currently the global epicenter of COVID-19, ranking second in terms of deaths and cases worldwide, after the United States. India records highest spike in daily Covid-19 cases with 89,129 new cases, bringing the national tally to 12,392,260. Besides, 714 deaths were registered, taking the death toll to 164,110.Both the number of new cases and deaths are the highest this year so far. Also read: Global Covid cases top 130 million Situation in Bangladesh Amid an alarming surge in Covid-19 cases, Bangladesh recorded 5,683 fresh cases and 58 deaths in the last 24 hours until Saturday. Bangladesh has so far recorded 630,277 coronavirus cases, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). During the 24-hour period until Saturday morning, 2,364 patients recovered, taking the number of recoveries to 549,775. Bangladesh reported its first cases on March 8 last year and confirmed the first death from the virus 10 days later. Meanwhile, the fatalities rose to 9,213 with the new deaths. The mortality rate fell to 1.46 on Saturday from Friday’s 1.47 percent. Also read: Global Covid caseload tops 129 million Govt set to impose ‘lockdown’ On Saturday, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the government is set to announce a seven-day lockdown from Monday to stem the spread of coronavirus. Meanwhile, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain said the decision for a countrywide lockdown for seven days would come within “two to three days”. In a video message, he said the institutions providing emergency services would be open during the lockdown. “Industries and factories will remain open too,” he said. “Workers will have to follow health guidelines and work in shifts (during that period).” Also read: Global Covid cases top 128 million   Govt strengthens protective steps The daily surge prompted the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to issue an 18-point directive on March 29 to prevent the virus’ transmission. On the same day, the Health Ministry proposed strict measures like partial lockdowns for some places with higher Covid-19 transmission rates. Vaccination drive The government launched a countrywide vaccination campaign on February 7 with doses received from the Serum Institute of India. Bangladesh inked an agreement with Serum in December last year for 30 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Serum is supposed to supply the doses between January and June this year – 5 million each month.

As the Coronavirus keeps spreading, the global death toll from the virus reached 2.8 million on Thursday.   The total case count reached 128,791,500 while the death toll mounted to 2,814,899 as of Thursday morning, according to the data compiled by Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The US, the worst-hit country in terms of active patients and deaths, has so far recorded 30,459,483 cases and 552,038 fatalities, as per the university data. The North American country surpassed the grime milestone of 30 million confirmed Covid cases. Brazil has logged 321,515 Covid-19 deaths, with a daily average of more than 2,500 deaths in March, making it a global epicenter of the pandemic. Brazil reported a record daily Covid-19 death toll of 3,869 on Wednesday, its Health Ministry said.    In addition, Covid-19 cases in Brazil rose to 12,748,747 after 90,638 new cases were reported. Also read: Global Covid cases near 118 million India's Covid tally rose to 12,149,335 on Wednesday as 53,480 new cases were reported from across the country, according to the latest figures released by its federal health ministry. Besides, 354 deaths had also been reported since Tuesday morning, taking the death toll to 162,468. Situation in Bangladesh Bangladesh recorded 52 Coronavirus-related deaths in 24 hours till Wednesday, the highest single-day death toll since the pandemic hit the country. Besides, the country’s health authorities recorded over 5,000 fresh cases for the third straight day. The latest figures showed 5,358 new cases in a 24-hour period until morning, which pushed up the caseload to 611,295, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Besides, the coronavirus fatalities reached 9,046 with the new deaths. Also Read:  Global Covid-19 cases approaching 114 million Bangladesh reported its first coronavirus cases on March 8 last year and the first death on the 18th of that month. Stronger protective steps The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) issued an 18-point directive on Monday for the next two weeks to contain the spread of coronavirus. On the same day, the Health Ministry also proposed partial lockdowns for some places with higher Covid-19 transmission rates. Other recommendations by the Health Ministry include closure of amusement centres, picnic spots, religious gatherings, limiting wedding ceremonies, strengthening quarantine systems, limiting passengers in public transports, and limiting attendance in offices. It also suggested strong enforcement of the ‘no mask no service’ policy, increasing numbers of mobile courts and slapping fines on health guideline violators. Vaccination drive Also Read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: Daily death toll, new cases rise The government rolled out a countrywide mass vaccination campaign on February 7 with doses received from the Serum Institute of India. Bangladesh inked an agreement with Serum in December last year for 30 million doses to be supplied between January and June this year – 5 million each month.  

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has ruled out any uncertainty over receiving vaccine doses from the Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd. “We’ve already paid for the vaccine. So... we’ll get it,” he told reporters while briefing virtually on the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday. Also read: Vaccine drive to continue with AstraZeneca shot: Health Secretary He informed that the second dose of vaccine will be administered in time. He also said that the health minister had also attended the purchase body meeting and did not express any apprehension over uncertainty about receiving the vaccine doses. Also read: Virus variants, vaccine inequity responsible for rising Covid caseload: WHO Mustafa Kamal also turned down the idea of going for lockdown to contain coronavirus transmission. He said there will be no need for any such measures as the vaccination programme has been continuing. “Once vaccination is completed, the situation will improve,” he said. “The countries, which are running the vaccination programme, are witnessing a fall in infection.” Also read: Modi to bring 12 lakh more vaccine doses as gift for Bangladesh Responding to a question on World Bank’s economic growth projection at 3.6 percent, the Finance Minister said the donor agency makes such projection on quarterly basis and the government does it annually.

With an alarming resurgence in Covid-19 infections , the global cases reached 126.6 million with 2.77 fatalities. The total case count reached 126, 651,176 while the death toll from the virus mounted to 2,777,020 as of Sunday, said the data compiled by Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The US has recorded 30,217,893 cases with 548,825 fatalities as of Sunday morning. Brazil, which is the world’s second worst-hit country has registered 12,490,362 cases while the death toll from the virus climbed to 310,550. Also read: Global Covid-19 cases top 126 million Brazil currently accounts for one-quarter of the entire world’s daily COVID-19 deaths, far more than any other single nation, and health experts are warning that the nation is on the verge of even greater calamity, reports AP. The nation’s seven-day average of 2,400 deaths stands to reach to 3,000 within weeks, six experts told the Associated Press. That’s nearly the worst level seen by the U.S., though Brazil has two-thirds its population. Spikes of daily deaths could soon hit 4,000; on Friday there were 3,650. India’s total tally reached 11,908,910 and the death toll from the virus stood 161,240 on Sunday. Situation in Bangladesh Thirty nine new Covid-19 deaths were recorded in Bangladesh in the last 24 hours until Saturday, the highest single-day death toll in the past 3 months. According to the latest figures provided by the country’s health authorities, 3,674 more people got infected during the period, pushing up the total caseload to 5, 91,860. The latest figures have pushed the Covid-19 fatalities to 8,869 according to the handout by Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Also read: Global Covid-19 cases top 125 million The infection rate jumped to 14.90 percent on Saturday from 13.69 percent a day earlier. However the death rate stands at 1.5 percent, said the handout. So far, 533,922 patients (90.22 percent) have recovered, including 1,971 in the last 24 hours, according to DGHS. Bangladesh reported its first cases on March 8, 2020 and the first death on March 18 the same year. Health authorities have so far tested 4,566,694 samples, including 24,664 in the past 24 hours. Amid spike in infections, the government has taken a tougher stance to fight Covid-19 transmission. The Health Ministry sent letters to districts, directing the officials concerned to impose fines on people flouting Covid protocols. Also read: Global Covid-19 cases surpass 124 million The country launched a countrywide vaccination drive on Feb 7. As the daily infection rate keeps rising, the government extended the closure of school and colleges until May 23.

Amid the fear of a fresh wave of Covid-19 and detection of UK variant of the virus, Bangladesh witnessed a sharp increase in the number of deaths and new cases on Monday.

The age limit for getting vaccinated against Covid-19 will be revised after the arrival of more vaccine doses, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Wednesday.