The second phase of Covid vaccination begins today

The second phase of the vaccination program has been started across the country with the vaccine of Chinese Sinopharm. The vaccine has reached different districts of the country including the capital. The vaccination center will be open from 8 am to 3 pm every day except Fridays and public holidays.

Sinopharm vaccine will be given through 4 medical college hospitals in Dhaka district. These four hospitals are Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital and Mugda Medical College Hospital. These hospitals will have one vaccination center and two booths in each center. Besides, there will be one vaccination center in each district except Dhaka district and there will be two booths in each center. However, booths have to be opened depending on the number of vaccinators.

The director of Mugda Hospital said, “Initially, we are vaccinating students of seven government and private medical colleges. We have received 2,400 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine. Those who have registered, but have not yet received the vaccine, will receive it later. Because the amount of vaccine is less than the demand. ‘

Health officials say about 1.5 million people have registered for the vaccine, who have not yet received the first dose.

A notice from the Department of Health said that for the time being, those who have registered for the 67 centers in the country where vaccination is going on will get priority. The priority list includes front-line government health officials, police, expatriate migrant workers (registered with BMET), cleaners in Dhaka’s two cities and workers involved in cremation in wards or municipalities.

Besides, students of government-private medical colleges and dental-nursing-midwifery colleges, all residential students of public universities, bidder workers and Chinese nationals living in Bangladesh will also get priority in getting the vaccine.

Reportedly, only 3 percent of people can be vaccinated after administering the jabs in hand, although it is advised that at least 70 percent of the population needs to be vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity.