Age Limit to Be Lowered to 18 for Covid Vaccination: DGHS

The minimum age for receiving Covid jab will be set at 18 years, Directorate General of Health Services chief ABM Khurshid Alam said on Friday.

The government is considering setting up field hospitals at two to three places in the capital, he told the media after visiting Mugda hospital in the morning, reports media.

There are also instructions to set up field hospitals at the district level, if necessary, DGHS Director General Khurshid Alam said.

The issue over whether vaccination can be done by showing only a national identity card to facilitate immunization at the marginal stage is under discussion, he added.

On July 15, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said the government was planning to lower the age bar for inoculation to 18 years, particularly to bring the students under vaccination coverage.

Earlier, the minimum age for registration was set at 40 years.

At the beginning of the vaccination drive, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed the authorities concerned for reducing the age limit from 55 to 40 years to get registered for Covid-19 vaccination, aiming to expand and accelerate the drive.

The age limit has been brought down to 30 years recently.