Moderna jabs to be used as boosters instead of Pfizer

The government has decided to administer Moderna Inc's Covid-19 vaccine to be used in place of Pfizer shots for booster doses at vaccination centres across the country.

The Pfizer vaccine will, instead, be kept for use as the first and second doses for students in school and college (ages 12-17) and other people who have already received one dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) issued a notification on Wednesday in this regard instructing all concerned health authorities in the country associated with the government's inoculation programme to follow the directive. 

On December 28, the DGHS launched its coronavirus booster vaccine program. People over the age of 60 and frontline employees are currently receiving the doses. A person becomes eligible for the third vaccine dose if at least six months have passed since they received their second.

Those who are eligible for the booster will receive an SMS notification and will be able to receive the shot at the same vaccination center where they received their previous doses.

For the first and second dosages, Bangladesh is currently using vaccinations from Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, and Sinovac. Only Pfizer, Moderna, or AstraZeneca vaccinations are approved as boosters by the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group.