ED: We must be prepared for the vaccine

We finally have a date for the arrival of Covid-19 vaccines in Bangladesh, as the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine will arrive in Bangladesh between January 21 to 25.

It is no doubt reassuring to finally know of a tentative date; amidst all the uncertainty that continues to surround vaccination, not to mention the debacle that occurred with regards to Bangladesh possibly not receiving the vaccine at all, this news should go some way to calming the nerves of the general populace.

However, receiving the first round -- 5 million doses of the vaccine -- is just the first step, and there is plenty to be done to ensure that vaccination is a smooth and seamless procedure.

Starting from the arrival of the vials, to successfully storing them as to not hamper their efficacy in any way, to selecting the citizens that will be eligible for the first dose, to finally employing the right personnel to successfully administer the doses, there are several crucial steps to ensuring that vaccination is successful.

Nothing but proper coordination and a concerted effort, involving each and every stakeholder, will be enough in order to make sure that we are successful in inoculating the citizens. Failure is not an option; the people have suffered enough already, and indeed, many will continue to suffer as vaccination is carried out from one section of the population to the next.

Therefore, Bangladesh must make sure that it has all its bases covered and that it is fully prepared before the vaccine even arrives, so that we have a successful and efficient vaccination of the people.