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Seven people out of 31 who died of coronavirus infection over the last two weeks (from 20 June to 3 July) had taken booster doses.
As many as 23 out of those 31, died over the last two weeks, were vaccinated. Again 16 out of the 23 received two doses of vaccines while 7 others took booster doses, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) report.
The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control And Research (IEDCR) Advisor and prominent pathologist Dr Mushtaq Hossain told The Business Post that effectiveness of the second doses of vaccine had decreased after three months.
And for those who have taken booster dose it takes 14 days to work and after that its efficacy continues for three to four months, he said.
“I have no data with me now. However, I think that those who have been vaccinated and died may have been suffering from some other diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney problems or cancer.”
Besides, the effectiveness of the vaccine is not 100 per cent. Some of the vaccines are 70 per cent effective, while some others 75 per cent to 70 per cent.
So the vaccine may not work in the body of some people, Mushtaq said adding that the booster dose vaccinated people needs to be re-vaccinated four months later.
It is happening worldwide. “We need a new version of vaccine to reduce death further.”
He thinks even after vaccination people have to follow other health rules including wearing a mask.
According to the Directorate General of Heath Services (DGHS),12,94,99,137 people have taken one dose of vaccine, 11,96,41,067 two doses while 2,96,45,608 booster doses.
Bangladesh on Tuesday recorded 1,998 fresh cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours while the daily infection rate stood at 16.74 per cent. On Monday, the positivity rate was 16.51 per cent.
The country also registered seven Covid-19-related deaths over the same period, raising the death toll to 29,181. With the fresh infections, the total caseload reached 19, 82,972, according to the daily virus update by the DGHS.
On the other hand, 494 patients recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours, pushing the overall recovery to 19, 09,273.
Health authorities reported the latest figures after testing 11,932 samples at 880 laboratories across the country.
Bangladesh reported its first cases on 08 March 2020 and the first coronavirus-related death on 18 March of the same year. Meanwhile newer iterations of the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 are spreading rapidly, according to the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b).
The Omicron sub-variant BA.2 emerged in the third week of January 2022 and spread until the first week of April 2022 by replacing the BA.1 over time, icddr,b said in a report on Tuesday. During the last six weeks (14 May to 24 June 2022), Omicron BA.5 has become the most predominant Covid- 19 sub-variant.
During this period, 51 out of 52 Covid-19 positive cases were identified as BA.5 sub-variants and one BA.2 by using complete genome sequencing, the report states. As part of the countrywide Covid-19 testing network, icddr,b is testing Covid-19 patients and monitoring SARS-CoV-2 variants. The first suspected Omicron sub-variant BA.5 in Dhaka was detected on 19 May 2022.
Overall, the severity of the disease caused by Omicron BA.5 sub-variant among icddr,b study population is low.
However, the recent countrywide surge in Covid-19 cases as well as hospitalization warrants the continuation of public health and social measures to minimize the transmission of the virus.
In light of this discovery, icddr,b requested people to get vaccinated, keep wearing masks, maintain physical distance and follow proper hygiene procedures.
