UNV Desk:

The Covid-19 vaccine, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, is the safest among all the jabs, claimed Additional Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora on Thursday.

“The Indian vaccine is the safest among all the vaccines developed so far,” she said while talking to reporters after inaugurating the Covid-19 vaccination at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in the morning.

Prof Flora said it is proven that any vaccine has its side effect. “The matter of side effects comes to make people aware. So, country’s people can take the vaccine without fear.”

Meanwhile, State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak on Thursday took the Covid-19 vaccine as the first member of the incumbent Cabinet.

He was given the jab at the BSMMU around 10:30am.

Earlier, BSMMU Vice-chancellor Dr Kanak Kanti Barua received the vaccine.

The BSMMU started vaccination as the second centre in the country at 9am.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination programme on Wednesday.

Runu Veronica Costa, a senior staff nurse of Kurmitola General Hospital, became the first person in the country to have received the vaccine. A total of 26 front-line fighters took the vaccine at the hospital on the first day.

Around 400-500 front liners, including doctors and nurses, are set to be given the vaccine at Kurmitola General Hospital, Mugda General Hospital, Kuwait-Bangladesh Maitree Govt Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and BSMMU today.

Bangladesh has now 7 million doses of the vaccine, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, in stock.

The government has planned to inoculate 1.6 crore people with 3.2 crore doses of vaccine in the first phase with each getting two shots.