Eighty lakh people will be vaccinated against Covid-19 on Tuesday under another phase of mass vaccination campaign, marking Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s birthday. “Another mass vaccination campaign will resume Tuesday. Eighty lakh people will be brought under the vaccination programme on the day on the occasion of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s birthday,” said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday at a virtual briefing. Read:Dhaka to receive another 25 lakh Pfizer vaccine doses Monday The vaccine jabs will be administered from 9 am at 6,000 centres across the country, he said adding that in the first two hours women above 50 years and physically-challenged people will get the jabs on priority basis. People will be given vaccine shots at the centers to be set up at 4,600 unions and 433 wards of 1054 municipalities and city corporations. “There’ll be three booths at union level, one at municipality level and three at city corporation level centres.” Those who have got registered for vaccination but failed to get it timely will get priority during this campaign, said the minister.

A woman has been mistakenly administered two doses of Coronavirus vaccine  at Baliadangi Upazila Health Complex in Thakurgaon, health officials said on Thursday. Fensi Akter, 39, wife of Tajim Uddin of Chhotasingia village in Charol union of the upazila, was admitted to the health complex as she fell sick after being vaccinated twice on Tuesady. Read: Thakurgaon youth jumps rope to enter Guinness Book Fensi Akther said she went to Baliadangi Upazila Health Complex to get the second dose of vaccine after receiving a mobile SMS. The on-duty nurse first injected Fensi with a dose of Sinopharm vaccine. Within a minute, another nurse took another vaccine and pushed it into her arm before she understood anything. Later, the woman was admitted to the health complex when she fell sick. Read: Thakurgaon journalist arrested under DSA gets bail Baliadangi Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Abul Kashim said vaccine seekers are crowding the booth and they are struggling to handle to crowd every day. "However, the woman is fine now but she is feeling sick due to anxiety over receiving two vaccine jabs," said the doctor.

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. 

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said there is no reason to be worried about Covid-19 vaccine stock, noting that Bangladesh will have enough vaccine jabs as planned, including a gift of 6 lakh doses from China. “We’ve enough stock. We’ve made a lineup. We’ll have enough. China will give 6 lakh doses of vaccine as a gift. We don’t have to worry about it... we’re okay,” he said. Bangladesh has received 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. This is the largest amount sent from India to any country. Talking to reporters at his residence, Dr Momen said the two health ministries of Russia and Bangladesh agreed in principle on the proposal of vaccine coproduction in Bangladesh.  Also read: Will do our best to support vaccine rollout in neighbouring countries: India “We’re on the same page. Our Health Ministry knows the details. Things will be finalised by the Health Ministry,” said the Foreign Minister. He said Bangladesh will also purchase vaccine doses from Russia. Talking to UNB last week, the Foreign Minister revealed that Russia proposed Bangladesh to go for a co-production of vaccines. “It’s not bad. We’re keeping our options open.” He said Russia will give the technology and Bangladeshi pharmaceutical companies will produce the Russian vaccine here if things go well. “It’ll be cheap and hopefully it’ll be better.” Responding to a question on discussion with the USA, Dr Momen said the United States has assured of making Covid-19 vaccines available for other countries, including Bangladesh, once they have surplus reaching the level of mass vaccination in the US. “I can assure you when we can reach the level of the critical mass vaccination and we’ve surplus, we’ll absolutely make vaccines available in whatever different ways,” John Kerry, the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate told reporters during his recent visit to Bangladesh. Also read: Covid vaccines should be declared as global public goods: PM Hasina Despite high demand in India, Bangladesh hopes that India will supply the rest of the Oxford-AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine doses produced by Serum Institute of India (SII) to Bangladesh as agreed between the two countries but keeps other options open.   Bangladesh has purchased three crore doses of the vaccine from Serum Institute and the first shipment of 50 lakh arrived here in January last week while the second consignment of 20 lakh doses of Covid-19 came in February. The Foreign Minister acknowledged the high demand for vaccines globally, including the demand by some political leaders in India to halt export. “I think it won’t be applicable for us as we made arrangements and made advance payment. India announced the vaccine will be delivered as per schedule. And we believe it,” Dr Momen said. Once China had shown much interest to give vaccines to Bangladesh but Bangladesh was reluctant at that time as their vaccine was not approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), he said. Also read: Hopeful of getting rest of vaccine doses from India as scheduled: FM Dr Momen said China administered vaccines for their vast population, which they say without any side-effects apart from proving their vaccine to over 50 countries. “We’re continuing discussion with them (China) again so that they can help us.” India has also approved the use of Russian Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said. Bangladesh was one of the few countries to get the vaccine first joining hands with its neighbour India amid high demand for it globally. “It could have been possible due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s prudent leadership and farsightedness. She took the initiative from day one,” Dr Momen added.