Relief secretary infected with COVID-19 after receiving vaccine

Disaster Management and Relief secretary Md Mohsin has been infected with COVID-19 after receiving the virus vaccine.

He was inoculated at National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH) in the capital on February 7. But after that he has been suffering from respiratory problem. His sample report came positive for the virus on February 19. 

Md Mohsin's oxygen saturation level also dropped.

He is currently undergoing treatment at United Hospital, the public relation officer of the Ministry Md Salim Hossain confirmed on Thursday.

bdnews24.com adds: Additional Director General Nasima Sultana said vaccination does not 'completely eliminate' the risk of infection in all cases after vaccination.

“Transmission will be reduced once the vaccine is administered. However, the infection can still occur because no vaccine company has said that the vaccine is 100% effective, she added.”

According to Nasima, a portion of people may still contract the infection even after being inoculated, as shown by the clinical trials of all types of vaccines.

"Besides, a single dose of the vaccine will not be completely effective against the disease. It requires two doses. The efficacy of the vaccine in preventing the infection will become clear only after the two doses are administered.

The vaccine will help reduce the severity of the illness even if a person gets infected afterwards. We need to look into the case of the secretary to ascertain what happened.”

TF