BD to receive 2.45 lakh AstraZeneca vaccines from Japan Saturday

Bangladesh will receive the first consignment of Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines from Japan consisting of 245,200 dosages on Saturday.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque and Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen will be present at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to receive the vaccines alongside the secretaries of both ministries, said a press release from the foreign ministry.

A flight (No. CX 049) of Cathay Pacific Airways carrying 2,45,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines from Japan is scheduled to arrive at Dhaka airport at 3:15 pm.

The vaccines will arrive as part of the COVAX agreement.

About 15 lakh people who took the first jab of the Oxford vaccine are yet to receive its second dose.

So far 58,20,000 people have taken the first dose of the Oxford vaccine in the country and 42,98,000 people have taken two doses.