DHAKA, Feb 19, 2022 (BSS) - A total of 1,46,87,306 students have so far been administered the first dose of COVID-19 vaccines while 83,79,322 received the second dose across the country during the same period, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) sources said.

   On February 6, the government started a special drive to inoculate Qawmi madrasah students with Covid-19 vaccines, they said adding since launching the campaign, 9,648 madrasah students were given coronavirus vaccines.

  On November 1, last year, the vaccination campaign for students aged between 12 and 17 years began across the country. The government has set a target to vaccinate people with 28 crore COVID-19 vaccine shots including booster dose.

  A total of 10,17,54,166 people have so far been administered the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 7,54,85,876

  received the second dose across the country during the same period.

  "As many as 30,05,707 people have so far received the booster dose of COVID- 19 vaccine to prevent the spread of the deadly virus, according to the data of Management Information System of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

  Some 28,190 floating people across the country have so far received the first dose of vaccine.

  According to the DGHS, Bangladesh has set a target to vaccinate one crore people with COVID-19 jabs on February 26 through launching a nationwide vaccination campaign.

  "We will conduct the countrywide COVID-19 vaccination on February 26... a total of one crore people will receive the first dose of coronavirus vaccine," it added.

  The health ministry sources said the government has lowered the minimum age limit for third time after launching the nationwide COVID-19 booster shot campaign on December 19, 2021 to scale up its efforts for containing the spread of the lethal virus.

  Initially 60 years and above for elderly people was the minimum age for receiving booster dose but later the authorities fixed the minimum age of 50 years and above on January 17, 2022, they said adding, from now, the government has set 40 years as the minimum age to expedite the booster dose campaign.

  As part of intensifying the nationwide inoculation drive, the government has decided to lower the minimum age by five years as such now people aged 25 years and above are allowed to receive COVID-19 vaccines.

  The authorities fixed 30 years as the minimum age for receiving coronavirus vaccines on July 19 and later the government has fixed 25 years as minimum age to receive coronavirus vaccines, the DGHS sources said.

  People aged 55 and above were only eligible for taking vaccines but the decision has been revised a day after launching of the countrywide COVID-19 vaccination campaign on February 7 last year.