No major side-effects are reported as more Bangladeshis get vaccinated

Most of the people who received COVID vaccine doses in Bangladesh have not reported any major side-effect.

Only 426 people have showed some mild side-effects until Sunday, according to data from the Directorate of Health Services. Bangladesh began the inoculation drive against coronavirus on Feb 7. As many as 906,033 people have received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as of Sunday.

A total of 26 people received the first shots of coronavirus vaccine on Jan 27. The next day, 541 people were given the vaccine in five Dhaka hospitals.

Dr Mohammad Nurullah, a junior paediatric consultant at Kurmitola General Hospital, who took the jab on Jan 28, said he had a mild fever and body ache on the first day after receiving the vaccine.

“There wasn't any other trouble. As far as I know, others who took the vaccine didn't face any major trouble either.”

The third day of the nationwide inoculation drew more people to Dhaka Medical College Hospital to be vaccinated on Tuesday, Feb 9, 2021.

Abdur Rahman, a resident of Gopibagh, took the vaccine at Mugda General Hospital on Feb 9. The sexagenarian businessman and four others from his family took the vaccine doses. Rahman experienced 'no physical ailments' following the vaccination.

“All of us went together and received the vaccine. I felt a little pain while taking the shot. Otherwise, there wasn't any problem. One of my family members had a feverish feeling, but felt better after taking medicine," he said.

Shahadatul Islam, a senior nurse of Mugda General Hospital, said he “felt no change” after receiving the vaccine on Feb 10. “I am fit and healthy as before.”

Swapna Sarkar, a resident of Manda, who received the vaccine at Mugda General Hospital on Feb 10, said she did not face any physical trouble.

“My husband and I took the vaccine together. He went to work, while I came home after receiving the shot. Neither of us had any side-effect. We’re keeping well.” 

A health worker at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital in Dhaka is preparing to administer COVID-19 vaccine doses on the second day of the mass vaccination campaign on Monday, Feb 8, 2021. Photo: Asif Mahmud Ove

Kazi Mahmudur Rahman, a banker, said he continued his regular work throughout the day after receiving his vaccine shot. At night, he drove out of Dhaka, he said.

Rahman read up about the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine before taking it. “Two different campaigns were going on with the vaccine. I gathered the proper information and then received it. I waited at the site for half an hour after the vaccine shot and then went to work.”

Journalist Kamal Talukdar, who had contracted the coronavirus, was terrified by the word ‘coronavirus’ after the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh. Now, following his vaccination, he is not afraid anymore.

“I took the shot on Feb 8, and became confident after receiving it. The day I received it, I had a mild headache and shoulder pain. Later, I took a paracetamol and slept.”

Farukh Ahmed, a resident of Kaltabazar in Old Dhaka, received the coronavirus vaccine from Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. He was devastated by the death of his sister from the COVID-19 illness. Farukh was not hesitant for a moment to take the vaccine shot. He found no difference in his physical state after receiving the vaccine.

The government aims to inoculate more than 130 million people across the country and has purchased 30 million doses of the vaccine from the Serum Institute of India. It has already received a total of seven million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, including two million free doses from the Indian government as a gift.

A nurse of Kurmitola General Hospital, Runu Veronica Costa, received the first COVID vaccine shot in Bangladesh as part of the country’s mass immunisation campaign on Jan 27.

Bangladesh plans to immunise 3.5 million people with the seven million doses of the vaccine, and kicked off the nationwide programme on Feb 7.

“You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days,” the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website.