Govt to provide Covid-19 vaccine free of cost

Dhaka (Nov 30, 2020): The government has decided to provide the Oxford-AstraZeneca developed Covid-19 vaccine to people free of cost in line with the guideline of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The government is going to purchase around three crore doses of Covid-19 vaccine developed by the Oxford-AstraZeneca and those will be given to people according to the protocol of the WHO, Cabinet Division Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said today.

Anwarul Islam came up with the announcement while addressing a press conference after the regular cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Sheikh Hasina attended meeting virtually from her official residence Gono Bhaban.

The government has already inked a deal with Serum Institute of India and Beximco Pharmaceutical Company and has allocated Tk735.77 crore to buy the vaccine, the cabinet secretary said.

The vaccine can be stored at a temperature of two to eight degree centigrade which exists in Bangladesh. And the second dose of the vaccine will be given 28 days after the first dose.

The vaccine will be given to the frontline fighters like health workers, old aged citizens people suffer from several types of health complications, transport workers and people in the education sector on priority basis, according to the government decision.

Monitoring committees at national, district and upazila levels across the country will be formed to prepare lists of people to run smooth vaccination activities.