Cabinet directs authorities to work on Covid-19 booster dose

The Cabinet has directed the authorities concerned to work on a precise guideline on the booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine in the country against the backdrop of rapid transmission of new variant “Omicron”.

The directive came at the regular Cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair held at the meeting room of the Cabinet division on Monday.

She joined the meeting virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban, while other ministers and officials concerned were connected from the Bangladesh Secretariat.

 “The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 and the Health Ministry were instructed on it so they would remain ready for whether the booster dose would be given free or on payment and submit a guideline following discussions,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters in the Secretariat after the meeting.

He said the Cabinet asked all to remain careful about Omicron as the new variant of Covid-19 is spreading rapidly across the world.

 “The Prime Minister repeatedly said that we’ve to be very careful,” he added.

The Cabinet secretary said the Primer earlier also instructed the technical committee to work on a precise guideline when the booster dose campaign needs to be started.