Muslims can receive Covid-19 vaccine shots during the fasting of Ramadan, said Islamic Foundation.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs issued a handout in this regard yesterday after a views-exchange meeting at the Islamic Foundation on Sunday.

The meeting said taking the vaccine during the daytime will not break the fasting as the jab does not enter the stomach directly.

Religious Affairs Secretary Mohammad Nurul Islam attended the meeting as chief guest, with Islamic Foundation Director General Mohammad Mushfiqur Rahman in the chair. High officials concerned were also present.

DGHS STATEMENT

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in a statement yesterday said there was no risk of testing Covid-19 positive as a result of taking the vaccine.

While some vaccines stop people from getting infected, others are aimed at preventing symptomatic disease -- one may still get infected, but the immune response triggered by the vaccine will fight off severe disease. The Covid-19 vaccines fall in the latter category.

"One has to wait a minimum of two weeks after taking the second shot to get the maximum immunity from the Covishield vaccine used in the Covid-19 vaccination drive," it said.

"The risk of being infected with Covid-19 stays the same if the health guidelines are not maintained properly during this waiting period [between the first and second doses]."