Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the authorities concerned to work on a precise guideline on the booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine amid the threat of Omicron variant and asked all to remain very careful about Omicron.

She was speaking at the cabinet meeting where she joined virtually from the Gono Bhaban yesterday, reports BSS.

Other ministers and officials concerned joined from the Bangladesh Secretariat.

"The Omicron issue dominated today's [yesterday] discussion. The prime minister repeatedly directed that we've to be very careful," said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing journalists at the secretariat after the meeting.

He said Health Minister Zahid Maleque and the representatives of National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 also attended the meeting.

"The technical committee and the health minister were instructed so that they remain ready for whether the booster dose would be given free or on payment and place a guideline following discussions," the secretary said.

In a separate press briefing following the cabinet meeting, Health Minister Maleque said his ministry was taking preparation to administer booster dose of Covid-19 vaccines.

"We have planned to give a booster dose to the people aged 60 years and above, [and] frontline workers. We have to bring some updates to the Surokkha app. We hope we could start our work [giving booster dose] this month," he said.

A booster dose is the third dose of Covid-19 vaccines which many rich countries have been offering to its citizens.

The health minister added that their priority is to jab those who has not received any dose yet.

Starting from February 7 this year, only 24.75 percent of the population has received full dose of different Covid-19 vaccines till yesterday.

Despite this, Maleque told journalists, "We have a stock of around four crore jabs of Covid-19 vaccines. There will be no shortage of vaccines."

On Thursday, two members of Bangladesh Women Cricket team tested positive for Omicron variant, the first Omicron cases in the country.

As of yesterday, Omicron which poses a "very high" global risk, according to the World Health Organisation, has been detected in 60 countries.

Besides, the cabinet cleared the draft speech of President Md Abdul Hamid to be delivered in the first session of parliament in the new year of 2022, reports UNB, quoting the cabinet secretary.

The meeting also approved the draft amendment to the ratified agreement to be signed between Bangladesh and the Maldives for the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion.

The PM will visit the Maldives on December 22 and 23 when a trade agreement is likely to be inked, the secretary added.