DGHS temporarily halts booster dose campaign

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) is going to temporarily halt the third and fourth booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines from Thursday as the stock of vaccines ran out.

"The administering of booster doses will resume as soon as the vaccines arrive," Professor Dr Ahmedul Kabir, additional director general (Planning and Development) at the DGHS, said at a press conference on vaccines at the DGHS conference room on Wednesday.

Professor Dr Ahmedul Kabir said the stock of vaccines for booster doses had run out, although many people were reluctant to take booster doses. Especially, people do not respond well to taking the fourth dose as there is no obligation to take them.

"Bangladesh collects these vaccines through COVAX (Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access). We sent our demand to them, it will take three-four weeks for the vaccines. Some 3 million doses of vaccine will arrive in this phase."

COVAX authorities said they can give more vaccines according to demand, he added.  

According to the DGHS top official, 15 crore people have been given the first dose of vaccination in the country so far. Among them, around 14 crores received the second dose. Six crore people took the third or first booster dose and over six lakh people took the fourth or second booster dose.