CU authorities don't know how many students have had two jabs

The authorities of Chittagong University (CU) have no updated or complete records on how many of their students have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

It has been three months since the campus reopened, yet the authorities have not been able to collect this information. It remains unknown as to whether all the students of the university have coverage of two doses.

The university halls were reopened on 18 October last year on condition that the students have taken at least one dose of the vaccine. Classes resumed from 21 October.

With the resumption of classes, the students began arriving at the halls. However, it was not checked at the halls whether the students had one dose of the vaccine or not. The students did not have to show their vaccine certificates to enter the halls.

In the meantime, the university authorities also failed to set up any booth to collect coronavirus samples on campus. So, students with fever, colds, coughs and other coronavirus symptoms have difficulty in getting their samples tested.

A student of CU’s Alaul Hall, Zubair Ahmed, has been suffering from fever for two days. Despite having coronavirus symptoms, he has gone to get his sample checked. He explained to Prothom Alo that there are no arrangements on campus to collect samples. That means a painstaking trip to Hathazari or to the city 22 miles away from the campus to get tested.

There are many students on the CU campus who, like Zubair, are displaying coronavirus symptoms. At least five of them, on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo you have to wait in a long line if you go to get tested and it is a difficult. If there was a booth on campus, testing would be easier.

Senior teachers of the university said that as part of tackling the threat of coronavirus, it is extremely important to be updated on the students’ vaccination status. Unless all students are brought under vaccine coverage, the risk cannot be reduced. It is also important to set up a coronavirus sample testing booth on campus. Then the students will be able to get tested without having to undergo so much pain and suffering.

According to sources within the university, till 5 September last year the university authorities collected information through the ICT cell from the students about their vaccination status. According to those records, 4190 students have had two doses of the vaccine. And 2342 have had one dose. There were 4472 who had registered and were waiting for their jab.

Other than that, pro-vice chancellor Benu Kumar Dey collects information on the vaccine from various departments.

Speaking to Prothom Alo about vaccination data, director of the ICT cell Mohammad Khairul Islam said no information about vaccinations were collected after September.

Acting registrar of the university, SM Monirul Islam, admitted that there was no accurate information about the vaccinations.

Monirul Islam told Prothom Alo that there was no specific information on how many of the students have received two doses of the vaccine. Attempts had been made three times earlier to gather this information but the students didn’t respond. That was why the records are not updated. However, according to the latest records, around 40 to 45 per cent of the students have had two doses, he said.