Health experts to resume vaccination as Covid-19 infection on surge
Staff Reporter :
Coronavirus infections with new sub-variant JN. 1 have been detected in Bangladesh.
Professor Tahmina Shirin, Director of the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), said the new sub-variant JN.1 was found in the test samples of five Covid patients in the country.
She mentioned that the five patients infected with JN.1 were both from Dhaka and other districts.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) issued a notice on Thursday directing the authorities to resume the Covid-19 vaccination programme for first, second, and booster (third and fourth) doses due to a surge in infections.
In the initial phase, booster doses (3rd and 4th dose) of the Pfizer VCV vaccine will be administered at eight centres in Dhaka city.
The DGHS has directed the authorities to resume the Covid-19 vaccination programme due to a surge in infections.
The directorate issued a notice on Wednesday, signed by the Member Secretary of the Covid-19 Vaccine Management Task Force Dr Mohammad Nizam Uddin, regarding the directive to resume the vaccination programme.
During the vaccination programme, priority will be given to frontline health officials, individuals aged 60 and above, those aged 18 and above with chronic diseases or poor immunity, and pregnant women.As per the programme, in the initial phase, booster doses (3rd and 4th dose) of the Pfizer VCV vaccine will be administered at eight centres in Dhaka city.
These centres are- Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Kurmitola General Hospital, Sir Salimullah Medical College Midford Hospital, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Mugda Medical College Hos pital, Sheikh Russel National Gastro Liver Institute and Hospital, and Fulbaria Government Employees Hospital.
Subsequently, the Covid-19 vaccination programme will be gradually expanded to various specialised institutes, government hospitals in Dhaka, government medical college hospitals outside Dhaka, and district-level hospitals. For the 1st and 2nd doses, the Pfizer RTU vaccine will be used.
Initially, vaccination will be provided at Dhaka North City Corporation’s Covid Dedicated Hospital in Mohakhali and Dhaka South City Corporation’s Nayabazar Dhaka Metropolitan General Hospital.
Proof of 1st and 2nd doses of vaccination, including the name and date of the vaccine, should be submitted to the respective centre for the Covid-19 vaccination card.
For the 3rd and 4th doses, recipients will need to download the vaccination card from the Surokkha website or app and take it to the centres.
Proof of receiving the 1st and 2nd doses of vaccination, with details such as the vaccine’s name and date, should be submitted to the relevant centre for updating the Covid-19 vaccination card.
In the case of 3rd and 4th dose inoculations, individuals should download the vaccination card from the Surokkha website or app and bring it to the vaccination centre, the DGHS said.
