Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Tuesday said Bangladesh will start vaccinating children aged below 12 following the approval of World Health Organization (WHO) as he urged all above the age limit to take the first dose by February 26.
“The government, meanwhile, has completed all preparations to administer 10 million doses on February 26,” he told a press conference held at Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS) in Dhaka.
“Our focus is now on the first dose because the government will administer the second dose and booster dose following the campaign,” he said.
Although the government will administer the first dose after February 26, it will not give focus on it, Zahid said.
When asked about health risks for children after reopening the schools, the minister said the government cannot vaccinate them until WHO approval.
Till that time, he urged the teachers, students and others to maintain health guidelines strictly.
Mentioning that Bangladesh has collected over 28.5 crore doses of vaccine from different sources, Zahid said, “We have enough vaccines in stock.”
Health ministry Senior Secretary Lokman Hossain Miah, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Director General ABM Khurshid Alam, Additional Director General (Administration) Ahmedul Kabir and Additional Director General (Planning and Development) Meerjady Sabrina Flora, among others, were present at the event.
