Govt starts administering 2nd Covid booster dose

Staff Reporter :
The health authorities started inoculation of the fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine across the country on Tuesday.
The priority will be given for administering the fourth shots to frontline workers, above 60 aged citizens, pregnant women and people with low immunity, health authorities said.
Professor Ahmedul Kabir, Additional Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), inaugurated the campaign around 9:30am at Kurmitola General Hospital in the capital.
The health authorities have taken the initiative to inoculate the fourth dose of Covid-19 jabs as the antibody from the vaccine doesn’t last long, the ADG said.
“The government’s aim is to vaccinate 80 lakh people in five categories at the moment though four crore people are eligible to receive the fourth dose in the country,” Ahmedul Kabir said.
He said also that 460 people already have received the fourth dose on a trial basis.
Professor Dr. Shamshul Haque, DGHS Director of the vaccine campaign, said 15 crore people got the first dose, 12 crore the second dose, and 6.5 crore the third dose of vaccine against Covid-19, so far.
“Still there are 1.33 lakh doses of vaccine in stock and will bring more after inoculating those. There are 11.5 crore people aged above 18 years and all will get inoculated with the second booster dose in phases,” the Director said.
As per the earlier announcement of the DGHS, the second booster dose will be given at seven centers in the beginning.
One hundred people will be vaccinated in every vaccinating centre and they will be kept under observation for two weeks, the DGHS officials said.
All citizens having health risks will be vaccinated with the second booster dose from January 1 next year, as per the DGHS announcement.