It would take at least six months more to apply Chinese company Sinovac's coronavirus vaccine to the general people of Bangladesh if its third phase trial is conducted timely, scientific officials told a meeting on Tuesday.
The vaccine will be primarily applied to the health workers aged between 18 and 59 years. Then, it will be opened for the general people, they added.
At present, six companies across the world are conducting the third phase trial.
Meanwhile, health services division secretary Abdul Mannan said that the Chinese Sinovac Biotech Company has applied for conducting the third phase trial of the vaccine in Bangladesh.
Chairing a meeting on the vaccine at the ministry's conference room, he also said
that Bangladesh will get the benefit of getting the vaccines as Gavi Foundation of Bill Gates has listed the country.
"Initially, the company would complete the trial among 4,200 health workers of seven Covid-dedicated hospitals across the country. The government is also aware of the other vaccines of other countries, including that of the Oxford University in the United Kingdom," he said.
Citing that Bangladesh would get privilege in getting the vaccine, the secretary said the Gavi Foundation has listed Bangladesh.
They have asked for presence of a Bangladeshi representative at their next meeting in September. Some vaccines will also come to the country through Gavi, he added.
Director General of the Drug Administration Major General Mahbubur Rahman, Additional Secretary Kazi Jebunnesa Begum, Mostafa Kamal, director, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), and Professor Dr Meerzady Sabrina Flora, senior scientific officers of ICDDR,B, were also present, among others, at the meeting.
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