4th dose Covid vaccine on trial basis begins 20 Dec

The government will start administering the fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine from 20 December on trial basis, said professor Ahmedul Kabir, additional director general (ADG) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), reports UNB.

The fourth dose will be given at seven centres in the beginning, he said at a press conference on the fourth dose at the DGHS.

One hundred people will be vaccinated at each designated centre and they will be kept under observation for two weeks, said the ADG.

All citizens having health risks will be vaccinated with the fourth dose from January 1 next year, he added.

On Monday, health minister Zahid Maleque said citizens aged above 60 will get the fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine first.

Earlier, the National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 recommended administering the fourth dose of Covid vaccine to contain the further spread of the virus, said Shamsul Haque, director of the vaccination program of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), on 30 November.

It recommended bringing front liners, citizens aged above 60 and the pregnant women under the fourth dose vaccination programme in the first phase, he said.