The United States on Saturday donated 9.6 million doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to Bangladesh, a gift from the American people. This donation of Pfizer vaccine brings the overall U.S. government vaccine contribution to over 28 million doses. “Nothing has made me prouder as U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh over the past three years than the work we are doing together to combat the COVID-19 pandemic," said US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller. He said he is pleased to announce, through the generosity of the American people, a donation of 9.6 million additional vaccine doses to the people of Bangladesh. Also read: Another 2.4 million Pfizer jabs received from US "The United States has now donated, free for charge, over 28 million vaccine doses to Bangladesh with millions more on the way. We salute and stand with heroic Bangladeshi health care providers and assistance partners as we work together to provide a healthier, brighter future for the people of both our great nations,” said outgoing Ambassador Miller. This delivery of Pfizer vaccine doses is part of the United States’ commitment to lead the global COVID-19 response by donating a billion doses of Pfizer vaccine around the world through 2022. In addition to vaccine donations, the United States continues to work closely with Bangladesh to support the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign and strengthen the government’s response to the pandemic, said the US Embassy in Dhaka.  The United States has provided training to over 7,000 healthcare providers on the proper management and administration of vaccines. To date, the United States has contributed over $121 million in COVID-related development and humanitarian assistance through USAID, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.   Also read: Pfizer pill becomes 1st US-authorized home COVID treatment This assistance has saved lives and treated individuals infected with COVID-19, strengthened testing capacity and monitoring, enhanced case management and infection prevention and control practices, and improved the supply chain and logistics management systems.  U.S. support has also protected front line workers and increased the public’s knowledge on how to better protect themselves from infection. The United States has donated $4 billion to support the worldwide COVAX effort, which includes support for ultra-cold chain storage, transportation, and safe handling of COVID-19 vaccines, making the United States the world’s largest donor for equitable global COVID-19 vaccine access.

Bangladesh has received the sixth batch of Covid-19 vaccine doses from China as gift, said the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka. The sixth batch that arrived here on November 25 contains 2 million doses of Sinovac vaccine produced by Sinovac Life Sciences Co. Ltd. Bangladesh has so far received 5.6 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from China as gift. Read: Bangladesh receives 1.8 mn Pfizer vaccine jabs from US This new batch of China-aided Sinovac vaccine doses arrived just after five batches of gifted Chinese vaccines that Bangladesh received in May, June, August and October this year, said the Embassy in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told Parliament that the government has taken steps to get over one crore coronavirus vaccine doses every month. “Steps have been taken to ensure more than one crore vaccines every month,” she said. She made the statement while answering a tabled question from ruling party MP Shahiduzzaman Sarker during PM’s question-answer session. Sheikh Hasina said that as per the schedule Bangladesh will get two crore vaccine doses each month from Sinopharm from next October. Until December some six crore jabs will come from Sinopharm, she said. She also said that so far (August 30) some 1,82,89,018 persons got first dose of vaccine while 78,40,169 persons got second shot. In total 2,61,29,187 doses of vaccines have been given. Read: Decision on vaccinating school students soon: DGHS DG “Collection of vaccines is on while providing the shots free to the people,” she said. The prime minister said that the government has established contacts with all vaccine producing organisations.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Saturday said the government will receive around 21 crore doses of Covid vaccines early next year to bring the country’s 80 percent population under the vaccination coverage. “Now Bangladesh's most important task is to collect vaccines. The government has now over one crore doses of vaccines in its stock, while it’ll get two more crore doses by next month,” he said. Speaking at a virtual discussion arranged by Bangladesh Private Medical College Association (BPMCA), the minister said, “The government will receive about 21 crore doses of vaccines, including three crore doses from China, seven crore  each from Russia and Johnson & Johnson, and three crore from AstraZeneca early next year. We hope the government will be able to vaccinate at least 80 percent of the country’s population with these vaccine jabs.” He said all the citizens above 18 years of age will be vaccinated from now on to keep the country's educational institutions functional and bring most citizens under the mass vaccination drive. Read: Bangladesh to go for Covid vaccine coproduction soon: FM The minister said they have already asked the ICT Division to take steps so that people above 18 years of age can register for vaccination through the government-approved "Surokkha" app. Over four percent of the country's population has so far been vaccinated since the government launched the mass vaccination programme on February 7 last by administering Covishield.

Bangladesh hopes to procure 11 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines from different sources by December enabling it to provide the jabs to over five crore people, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said on Saturday. Speaking at Manikganj Maleque said that negotiations are at an advanced level to sign a vaccine agreement with Russia. He also added that the country will also receive doses of the Moderna vaccine very soon. Read: Bangladesh to get 2.5 mn doses of Moderna vaccine The minister also stated that negotiations with the relevant stakeholders to manufacture vaccines in the country are going on in full swing.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said the government has sought immediate delivery of 4 million vaccine doses from the United States (US). The US will share up to 60 million doses of its Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine with other countries as they become available. “We’ve sought immediate release of four million doses of vaccine (in a letter sent to the US),” he told reporters, adding that he, however, sought a total of 10 to 20 million doses of vaccine from the US. Dr Momen said the government wants to continue the vaccination programme collecting vaccines from alternative sources.   The Foreign Minister made the remarks after his meeting with US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller at his office. Also read: Covid vaccine stock running out: DGHS He asked the US Ambassador whether they provided any vaccine to India. In reply, Ambassador Miller said they have provided no vaccine to India yet. The Foreign Minister said the US government needs permission from the Food and Drug Administration to export vaccines which is a time-consuming process. “But we need it immediately.”   Dr Momen said they have written to Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar requesting for 3 million doses of vaccine to address Bangladesh's immediate need.  "They (India) have verbally said keep your finger crossed," he said. Chinese Vaccine Arrives May 12 The Foreign Minister said the government is not shifting its attention from India as there is an agreement with Serum Institute of India to get 3 crore doses of vaccine. The Foreign Minister reiterated that the Chinese government is working to deliver 5 lakh doses of vaccine as a gift before Eid al-Fitr as two dates are mentioned – May 10 or 12.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has ruled out any uncertainty over receiving vaccine doses from the Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd. “We’ve already paid for the vaccine. So... we’ll get it,” he told reporters while briefing virtually on the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday. Also read: Vaccine drive to continue with AstraZeneca shot: Health Secretary He informed that the second dose of vaccine will be administered in time. He also said that the health minister had also attended the purchase body meeting and did not express any apprehension over uncertainty about receiving the vaccine doses. Also read: Virus variants, vaccine inequity responsible for rising Covid caseload: WHO Mustafa Kamal also turned down the idea of going for lockdown to contain coronavirus transmission. He said there will be no need for any such measures as the vaccination programme has been continuing. “Once vaccination is completed, the situation will improve,” he said. “The countries, which are running the vaccination programme, are witnessing a fall in infection.” Also read: Modi to bring 12 lakh more vaccine doses as gift for Bangladesh Responding to a question on World Bank’s economic growth projection at 3.6 percent, the Finance Minister said the donor agency makes such projection on quarterly basis and the government does it annually.

The age limit for getting vaccinated against Covid-19 will be revised after the arrival of more vaccine doses, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Wednesday.

Vaccine doses will reach 64 districts of the country within Sunday and Monday as the mass vaccination drive is set to begin on February 7, said Dr Khurshid Alam, Director General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday outlined who will get how many Covid-19 vaccine doses among the priority groups.