Publish : 21 Jan 2022, 12:40 AMUpdate : 14 Oct 2022, 06:50 PM
An average of around 10% people have been skipping their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine appointment per month, putting the fight against Covid-19 in a more challenging situation.
In Bangladesh, 91.32 million people have received their first dose of the vaccine as of Wednesday. Of them, 57.67 million people had received both doses, according to data aggregated by Management Information System (MIS) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
This means around 33.02 million are yet to be fully vaccinated.
The health authorities say many of the registered vaccine aspirants failed to show up on scheduled dates while many wait for their turn.
The second dose of all vaccines, except for Astrazeneca, is administered after an interval of four weeks. For AstraZeneca, the health authorities recommend eight weeks of interval.
Given the four weeks of interval for all vaccines except AstraZeneca, around 10% of people have not shown up on time for their second jab, an analysis of data of the last three months by Dhaka Tribune shows.
As of November 1, the number of recipients of the 1st dose vaccine was 42.46 million, including 8.61 million who received the AstraZeneca vaccine.
With AstraZeneca excluded, around 33.84 million people received the vaccine during this period. All of them should have received their second dose by December 1.
But the number of second dose recipients were 30.49 million, excluding Astrazeneca on December 1.
This means 3.35 million, who amount to 10% of first dose recipients, have not shown up for a second dose on time.
The number jumped to 13% in January.
Till December 1, 51.13 million people took their first covid jab, excluding the AstraZeneca vaccine. Till January 1, the second jab was received by 44.8 million people.
This shows that 6.3 million people missed visiting vaccination centres during this period.
Reason behind skipping
Most individuals, who miss the vaccine jab, cite staying away from the city, departure from the country after the first jab, sickness, not getting text messages in time due to technical difficulties, and contracting Covid-19 as major reasons behind missing a second dose.
Assistant Director of 250 Bed TB Hospital Ayesha Shilpi told Dhaka Tribune after receiving the first dose many fall sick as a side effect, which creates unwarranted fear. This amounts to 10% of people missing their vaccine appointment, she said.
Experts have said there are a number of people who become infected after taking the first dose. They miss their appointment as they have to wait 28 days after recovering from the viral disease.
Additionally, pregnant women and critical patients miss their dates as well.
Ayesha Shilpi said: “Every day we find that people are missing their second dose appointment. I saw people coming six months after getting their first dose. There are one or two people in a hundred like this. But it is also a little problematic.”
“Since we offer an estimated number of vaccines daily, those who miss their appointment often find that the vaccine is wasted,” the assistant director added.
“Again, when they come a long time after the date, we vaccinate them, so maybe one day the vaccine will run out early,” she said, adding that people should not skip vaccine appointments on purpose.
What are the steps taken by the authorities?
DGHS spokesperson Line Director Dr Robed Amin told Dhaka Tribune: “Most people do not appear to be refusing vaccines. Still, 10% is a large portion of us who do not return to the vaccination centres for the second dose as scheduled.”
Asked if any steps had been taken to reduce the number of people who are absent or who refused to be vaccinated for any reason, Robed Amin said: “We are stockpiling enough vaccines, and preparations are underway to provide vaccines to all people in the country in phases. We are trying to increase their interest. At the moment, however, we have no plans to contact absent vaccine recipients individually.
“In addition, if there are those who have not received text messages with the date of the second dose, we have a complaint system in the MIS department of DGHS. They will resolve the issue,” he added.
Covid-19 vaccine: Around 10% of people skip second dose
Vaccine hesitancy impediment to battle against Covid in Bangladesh
An average of around 10% people have been skipping their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine appointment per month, putting the fight against Covid-19 in a more challenging situation.
In Bangladesh, 91.32 million people have received their first dose of the vaccine as of Wednesday. Of them, 57.67 million people had received both doses, according to data aggregated by Management Information System (MIS) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
This means around 33.02 million are yet to be fully vaccinated.
The health authorities say many of the registered vaccine aspirants failed to show up on scheduled dates while many wait for their turn.
The second dose of all vaccines, except for Astrazeneca, is administered after an interval of four weeks. For AstraZeneca, the health authorities recommend eight weeks of interval.
Given the four weeks of interval for all vaccines except AstraZeneca, around 10% of people have not shown up on time for their second jab, an analysis of data of the last three months by Dhaka Tribune shows.
As of November 1, the number of recipients of the 1st dose vaccine was 42.46 million, including 8.61 million who received the AstraZeneca vaccine.
With AstraZeneca excluded, around 33.84 million people received the vaccine during this period. All of them should have received their second dose by December 1.
But the number of second dose recipients were 30.49 million, excluding Astrazeneca on December 1.
This means 3.35 million, who amount to 10% of first dose recipients, have not shown up for a second dose on time.
The number jumped to 13% in January.
Till December 1, 51.13 million people took their first covid jab, excluding the AstraZeneca vaccine. Till January 1, the second jab was received by 44.8 million people.
This shows that 6.3 million people missed visiting vaccination centres during this period.
Reason behind skipping
Most individuals, who miss the vaccine jab, cite staying away from the city, departure from the country after the first jab, sickness, not getting text messages in time due to technical difficulties, and contracting Covid-19 as major reasons behind missing a second dose.
Assistant Director of 250 Bed TB Hospital Ayesha Shilpi told Dhaka Tribune after receiving the first dose many fall sick as a side effect, which creates unwarranted fear. This amounts to 10% of people missing their vaccine appointment, she said.
Experts have said there are a number of people who become infected after taking the first dose. They miss their appointment as they have to wait 28 days after recovering from the viral disease.
Additionally, pregnant women and critical patients miss their dates as well.
Ayesha Shilpi said: “Every day we find that people are missing their second dose appointment. I saw people coming six months after getting their first dose. There are one or two people in a hundred like this. But it is also a little problematic.”
“Since we offer an estimated number of vaccines daily, those who miss their appointment often find that the vaccine is wasted,” the assistant director added.
“Again, when they come a long time after the date, we vaccinate them, so maybe one day the vaccine will run out early,” she said, adding that people should not skip vaccine appointments on purpose.
What are the steps taken by the authorities?
DGHS spokesperson Line Director Dr Robed Amin told Dhaka Tribune: “Most people do not appear to be refusing vaccines. Still, 10% is a large portion of us who do not return to the vaccination centres for the second dose as scheduled.”
Asked if any steps had been taken to reduce the number of people who are absent or who refused to be vaccinated for any reason, Robed Amin said: “We are stockpiling enough vaccines, and preparations are underway to provide vaccines to all people in the country in phases. We are trying to increase their interest. At the moment, however, we have no plans to contact absent vaccine recipients individually.
“In addition, if there are those who have not received text messages with the date of the second dose, we have a complaint system in the MIS department of DGHS. They will resolve the issue,” he added.