Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked all concerned to take necessary preparations and “certain measures” to effectively tackle the second wave of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country.

“The prime minister instructed all concerned to take necessary preparations and specific steps as well as
ensuring proper stockpile, cold-chain, supply and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines once available to deal effectively with the second wave of the pandemic in the country,” Planning Division Senior Secretary Md Ashadul Islam told reporters after a meeting of the ECNEC.

ECNEC (Executive Committee of the National Economic Council) Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence this morning.

Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, the planning division senior secretary said the prime minister has directed everyone involved to take preparations from right now for stockpiling, supply and proper distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.

He said the premier laid stress on properly imparting training to those personnel who will vaccinate people once those are imported and made available as well as effectively maintaining the waste management of the vaccines.

“The premier also called for ensuring ‘cold-chain’ management to preserve and distribute vaccines at the right temperature in a scientific way,” Ashadul said.

“Cold-chain” is a system where life-saving vaccines are stored at the right temperature.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, vaccines must be kept at a certain temperature from production till application in the human body.