Pfizer's vaccine arrives today
Bangladesh will have the first consignment of 1 1,00,620 dosages of the Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine on Sunday (May 31), according to the official of the Directorate Standard of Health Offerings (DGHS).
Dr Shamsul Huque, member secretary of the Vaccine Deployment Committee, said 1,00,620 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine will arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal AIRPORT TERMINAL in Dhaka by a air travel of Qatar Airways at 11:20pm on Sunday.
He said the vaccine will get to Bangladesh under the Covax scheme, which is co-led by the Globe Health Business, the Gavi vaccine alliance, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.
However, it hasn't but been finalised when the vaccination will be began with these vaccine or who are likely to brought under the vaccination.
Dr Shamsul Huque said the National Committee for Vaccination will need ultimate decision in this regard.
Earlier on May 19, quoting Overall health Minister Zahid Maleque, the Health Ministry's spokesperson Maidul Islam said Gavi's Covax center confirmed medical Minister that they might send minimum 1,0,6,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine on June 2.
Nevertheless, the DGHS has verified that the vaccine would arrive before June 2.
The Pfizer vaccine is 95% effective in preventing Covid-19 in those that didn't contract the virus.
Bangladesh launched its nationwide vaccination drive about February 7 with Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine dosages purchased from the Serum Institute of India (SII).
The country has up to now received seven million dosages of the vaccine from SII through a contract for 30 million dosages. Bangladesh also received 3.3 million dosages of vaccine from India as a bilateral partnership gift.
But a record number of cases in India has manufactured the delivery of all of those other dosages by SII uncertain following the Indian federal government imposed a ban on vaccine export for getting together with its local demand.
Last Wednesday, 5,00,000 dosages of the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine, donated by the Chinese authorities to Bangladesh, had also found its way to Dhaka amid the shortage.
As a result of vaccine shortage, the administration of the first dose in Bangladesh was first suspended on April 26. The authorities also have suspended the vaccine sign up process.
The health authorities now have around 2,50,000 doses of Covishield vaccine for the next shot, but over two million people are still but to get the second jab.
