Bangladesh is gearing up to start vaccinating its children. According to Dhaka Tribune, the country’s Health Minister Zahid Maleque has said that inoculation of schoolchildren against Covid-19 from November 1.

The government is hoping to inoculate as many as 40,000 students daily. The news report noted that there are more than 10 million schoolchildren under the age of 12-17 age group in Bangladesh.

Health authorities have decided to administer the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to the children. “For this, the government has a total of three million shots in stock at the moment,” the report said, adding that the authorities have already conducted a trial run by inoculating over 100 students at a school in Manikganj on October 14.

Also read: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina launches fresh bid to attract FDI

Meanwhile, India, which has administered more than 1 billion Covid 19 vaccines to its citizens, is gearing up to resume exports of Covid 19 vaccines to its neighbouring countries. Serum Institute of India (SII) has been given the green signal to export 10 lakh doses of Covishield each to Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar. India too will now soon have to put in place a plan to start administering the vaccines for children. Until now only adults – those who are 18 years and above– are eligible for the inoculation exercise.

After an acute shortage of vaccines in May and early June, supply of vaccines has improved significantly in India.

Bangladesh pharma major Beximco Pharmaceuticals had signed a deal with SII for supply of 30 million doses over a period of six months, starting from January. However, India, which was hit by a brutal second wave, had to halt exports of Covid 19 vaccines.