DHAKA (UCAN): Runu Veronica Costa, a 39-year-old senior staff nurse at the state-run Kurmitola General Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, received the first shot of the Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine, followed by government officials and others, as the country launched a nationwide pilot vaccination programme on January 27.
The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, inaugurated the vaccination drive via video conference and expressed hope that it would help people to keep the coronavirus at bay.
Covid-19 has infected 535,582 people and caused 8,137 deaths in Bangladesh, according to WHO data on February 2.
Costa was clearly not concerned and showed courage as she prepared to get the shot from a fellow nurse during the programme that was telecast live amid a media frenzy over the event.
As Hasina asked her whether she was afraid, Costa replied, “No.” The premier lauded her by saying that she was “very brave.” Later, Hasina also talked with four others listed for shots and encouraged them to stay strong.
In a separate message, the prime minister said it was “a historic day” for Bangladesh and sought the cooperation of everyone to make the campaign a success. She also slammed a group that spread misinformation including a claim that the vaccine has severe side effects.
Thousands of people including Catholic officials took to social media to congratulate and encourage Costa as the news circulated on January 26 that she was going to get the first Covid-19 vaccine shot.
“We are proud of you, Runu,” many wrote on Facebook, the most popular social media platform.
Costa, a mother of two and a member of St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Pabna district, considers herself fortunate to be the first person vaccinated in the country.
Since the pandemic struck Bangladesh in March last year, Costa has been one of many frontline doctors and nurses facing serious risks to work with patients while leaving their families aside for months.
“I feel proud to be first recipient of the vaccine in Bangladesh. I have taken a vow to serve the people as a nurse and I took the vaccine to serve others by giving them courage,” Costa said.
“I think everyone should get vaccinated without any fear,” she added.
A total of 26 people were vaccinated on January 27, government health officials said. Among them were frontline doctors, nurses, law enforcement personnel and journalists.
The government is scheduled to vaccinate some 500 people in five designated state hospitals in Dhaka for the trial run as per the mandate of the World Health Organisation before launching nationwide vaccination from February 7.
Bangladesh selected the Covishield vaccine, developed jointly by the University of Oxford and British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, and imported by the Serum Institute of India.
Health officials said the first batch of 30 million doses is scheduled to arrive on February 1, while India gifted Bangladesh two million doses on January 21.
The government plans to vaccinate about 80 per cent of Bangladesh’s more than 160 million people in five stages.
