Vaccination begins countrywide amid warm response
Mass inoculation against Covid-19 that began across the country yesterday drew warm response from different sections of people.
In most of the districts, cabinet members, lawmakers and government officials took the shot of vaccine to gain public trust.
The health department has set up multiple booths at district headquarters and upazila health complexes for administering the vaccine.
Significant numbers of health workers have been trained up at district and upazila levels to run the programme effectively.
Those who took the vaccine, urged mass people not to panic over it as they did not face any adverse effect.
"I took the first shot of vaccine in this district. I am absolutely fine. I have not gotten any report of side effects among those who have been vaccinated here," said Dr Muhammad Imtiaz, Civil Surgeon of Narayanganj.
Sixty-five-year-old Sabeda Khanam, resident of Station Road in Gouripur upazila of Mymensingh, yesterday took the vaccine at Mymensingh Medical College.
"Earlier, I was in fear that I might get sick due to adverse effect of the vaccine. But I am feeling well and healthy," she told The Daily Star.
In Chattogram, vaccination started with inoculating the Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) in the morning.
Later, senior government officials and health workers in the district were vaccinated at CMCH where four booths -- two for men and two for women – have been opened.
In Rajshahi, mostly health workers and security personnel were vaccinated. Health officials said anyone who has completed online registration will be allowed to take vaccine.
In Khulna, the city's Mayor Talukder Abdul Khalek inaugurated Covid-19 vaccination by receiving the first dose in the district around.
Vaccines will be administered in 13 centres in Khulna city along with some other centres at upazila health complexes.
In Barishal, the city Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah launched the vaccination programme at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH), while another lawmaker Nasreen Jahan Ratna took the vaccine at Bakerganj Upazila Health Complex. A total of 197 people were vaccinated in Barishal.
In Sylhet, vaccination began at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital yesterday morning with city councillor Taufiq Baksh Lipon receiving the first dose in the city.
On the first day, some 700 people took the vaccine. A total of 52 booths have been set up in the district to vaccinate people.
In Patuakhali, 297 people were vaccinated at 26 centres. Lawmaker Kazi Kaniz Sultana Helen inaugurated vaccination at Patuakhali Medical College Hospital at 10am.
In Manikganj, a total of 626 people took the vaccine in nine centres. On the first day, the maximum number of vaccinated people were government officials.
Deputy commissioner (DC) SM Ferdaus, Police Superintendent Rifat Rahman Shamim and Civil Surgeon Dr Anwarul Amin Akhanda took the vaccine together in the district hospital
In Cumilla, vaccination began with warm response from people. Top government and military officials received vaccines on the first day. The district's Deputy Commissioner Abul Fazal Mir received the first dose of vaccine at Cumilla Medical College Hospital around 10am.
In Chapainawabganj, DC Monjurul Hafiz inaugurated the vaccination program by receiving the first dose at 10am in Sadar Hospital.
Later, Civil Surgeon Dr Zahid Nazrul Chowdhury and staff of health department received their vaccine shots. People of the district will be given the vaccine at 20 centres.
In Tangail, a total of 976 people were vaccinated on the first day. A total of 42 vaccination booths have been set up in the district. The district's DC Dr Ataul Goni took the first vaccine.
Our correspondents from Gazipur, Pabna, Munshiganj, Rangamati, Jamalpur, Nilphamari, Munshiganj, Noakhali, Rangpur and Dinajpur also reported that vaccination programme has begun in the districts amid warm response and festivities in the localities.
VACCINE FOR SOME, PHOTO-OP FOR OTHERS
Meanwhile, a Brahmanbaria lawmaker under women's reserved seat, Umme Fatema Nazma Begum, yesterday faced criticism from locals after she posed for a photo as a vaccine receiver, but did not actually take the vaccine.
The incident happened at Sarail upazila health complex yesterday noon where the lawmaker inaugurated the vaccination programme.
The photo, which was uploaded by one of her staff members in social media, was later removed in the face of heavy criticism from locals.
Contacted, the lawmaker admitted it and said she did it to gain public trust so that mass people become encouraged to take the vaccine.
Similar incident happened at Kumarkhali upazila health complex of Kushtia where the upazila parishad chairman Abdul Mannan Khan posed as a vaccine-receiver but did not take the shot.
Contacted, the chairman admitted it, but did not offer an explanation.