World media outlets report several countries are going to use vaccine to prevent COVID-19. Some countries including USA, Russia and UK may launch vaccine programmes next week. Bangladesh will have to prepare too.

The vaccination may not start soon here. The plan regarding the coronavirus vaccine is now at draft level. About 170 million people have to be vaccinated. Details could not be known as to how far the preparations have proceeded.

First, the vaccines have to be procured. According to the draft plan, vaccines will be collected from two sources. The first one is COVAX from where vaccines will be available at subsidy prices. The second one is Serum Institute of India which will supply the vaccine to the private pharmaceutical company Beximco Pharma which will supply the Bangladesh government. However, the health minister and the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) sources said vaccines will be collected from all probable sources.

According to a Prothom Alo report published on Friday, two private firms have started the process to import vaccines from the US-based company Pfizer. Directorate General of Drug Administration said, like any other medicine and vaccine, they would approve the import and use of COVID-19 vaccine in compliance with certain conditions.

We think that the government`s plan to collect coronavirus vaccine from possible all sources is appropriate. However, it is necessary to ensure quality, effectiveness and security. The UK government has meanwhile got the approval of the vaccine made by Pfizer. The US will give approval soon too.

Despite that, we have to examine for ourselves the effectiveness of the vaccine and its security before import. Experts should be consulted as to whether it is enough just to scrutinise the documents submitted by the probable importers. This applies not only to Pfizer, but to all government and private sources of the vaccines.

Second, it is also necessary to be cautious whether scientific methods are being followed in importing vaccine, its transportation and storage. It is being said that minus 70 degree temperature is necessary to store the Pfizer vaccine. But such a storage system is not available in Bangladesh. So it has to be ensured that importers use adequate numbers of cold chambers. From the importers to individual level, it is essential to prepare properly to store vaccines properly.

We need to be cautious about the sale of fake vaccines and the fraudulence of the organised criminals. International police agency Interpol has issued an orange alert in 194 countries that fake vaccines may be made and sold. Criminal gangs may hamper the supply of genuine, Interpol alerts. We have to be alert.