Covid-19 vaccine: Registration of citizens 65, above begins

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that registration of citizens 65 and above for getting Covid-19 vaccine has been opened.

In a tweet on Monday, he said, “Pleased to announce that registration for getting covid vaccine is now open for all citizens 65 and above. Just write down ur CNIC number and send message on 1166. Inshallah vaccinations for this age group will start in March.”

The first consignment of 0.5 million coronavirus vaccines from China had arrived at Islamabad airport on board a special Pakistan Air Force (PAF) plane on Monday morning (February 1). Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services Faisal Sultan received the Sinopharm vaccines at the airport.

Speaking to the media on the occasion, Dr Sultan said that initially the vaccine would be administered to the frontline health workers.

He praised the role of the NCOC, health workers and the provincial governments in the battle against the pandemic.

Sinopharm vaccine has reportedly 79 per cent efficacy rate against the Covid-19. Earlier, on January 12, 2021, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar had disclosed that the government had placed an order to purchase 1.1 million doses of coronavirus vaccine.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, Asad Umar had said the COVID-19 vaccine from China would come to Pakistan soon.

Similarly, hardly a day ago, on Sunday (February 14), the British High Commission in Pakistan had announced that 17 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine will reach Pakistan by April.

In a statement, the British High Commission had said: “The first consignment of seven million doses of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine will reach Pakistan before April.”

“Next 10 million doses of the vaccine will be dispatched to Pakistan before June,” said the statement. Pakistan has secured 17 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine under the COVAX arrangement.

The COVAX facility is an initiative by the World Health Organisation to ensure the fair distribution of coronavirus vaccines around the world.

“AstraZeneca vaccine will benefit around 8.5 million Pakistani citizens,” the British mission said, and added, “Pakistan will receive overall 45 million COVID-19 vaccine doses under the COVAX scheme this year.”