Bangladesh has hit a landmark in vaccinations with a record 2.8 million people of the country receiving their Covid-19 jabs on the first day of the government's mass vaccination program.
According to the DGHS, as many as 2,836,970 Covid vaccine doses were administered on Saturday, the highest single-day figure for any vaccine provided since the birth of the country.
Besides, the onrush of such a large number of people going to their nearest walk-in vaccination centres means that people are eager to get themselves vaccinated against the infectious disease, eliminating misconceptions regarding vaccines.
The government has taken the vaccination drive to the grassroots to figure out the country’s actual vaccine dispensation capacity and the weak points plaguing the system.
The health authorities are now certain that if Covid vaccines are at hand, people will enthusiastically go to the centres to receive their doses, as evidenced by the rush in city corporation areas on Sunday, the second day of the special drive.
The government aims to vaccinate at least 10 million people this month.
According to the DGHS, 14,007,837 people have received their first dose of Covid vaccine and 4,595,791 their second one as of Sunday.
The health authorities administered vaccines throughout the country on the first day, while on the second day they only provided Covid jabs in city corporation areas as well as unions and remote areas that could not be included on Saturday due to that day’s Expanded Program on Immunization (TB, measles, etc).
Another testament to people’s unhesitant participation in the drive, two centres in Mirpur reached their target to dispense 350 jabs within just 2.5 hours of starting proceeding on Sunday.
All asked to visit centres after getting SMS
Liakat Ali Sheikh, 65, accompanied by five other elderly people, went to the vaccination centre at Surjer Hashi Clinic at ward No 4 of Mirpur 13 at 6am. The sexagenarian said he felt that he needed to get inoculated fast due to his advanced age.
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“My son signed me up to get the vaccine two weeks ago but I have yet to receive any update on that, which is why I came here to take the jab,” he said.
Many like Liakat are now dashing to the makeshift centres before receiving a vaccination SMS and the DGHS is discouraging this course of action.
Dr Nazmul Islam, spokesperson for the health directorate, in a press briefing said: “We urge people who have registered to only go to vaccination centres after they get the registration SMS.”
The public health expert also instructed all to wear masks and maintain physical distancing when going to the centres.
“Law enforcers are helping the healthcare professionals enforce hygiene rules at the walk-in vaccination centres, but we are still receiving complaints about overcrowding at these places,” said Dr Nazmul.
Only public awareness would solve the problem, he added.
Meanwhile, many city corporation residents were found to leave vaccination centres without getting their jabs owing to stock shortages at these places.
The DGHS has urged everyone to remain patient, assuring that similar drives will be conducted again soon after receiving more vaccine shipments.
As many as 27,079 received their second dose of the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine on Saturday. So far, 5,820,063 people have taken the first dose of the vaccine, while 4,371,310 have received both doses.
Additionally, 4,674 were administered the Pfizer vaccine, taking the total to 61,697.
Also, 5,817,033 people have received the first dose of Sinopharm’s vaccine and 114,293 have been administered their second one.
Besides, 283,621 people received Moderna’s Covid shot on Saturday, taking the total to 1,375,618.
As many as 22,958,808 in Bangladesh have signed up to get immunized against Covid to date.
