Chinese booster shots available across Pakistan as Covid resurfaces

Islamabad: Booster shots of Chinese vaccines are available across Pakistan as Covid has once again surfaced in the country, the health ministry said.

A health ministry spokesperson announced that the government was encouraging eligible candidates to get the second booster shot.

This comes as the Covid-19 positivity ratio in Pakistan on Tuesday soared to 5.46 percent, the highest single day ratio recorded in the country after a gap of five months.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) data showed that 4674 Covid tests were conducted across the country in past 24 hours, out of which 255 turned out to be positive.

The nationwide Covid-19 test positivity ratio remained 5.46 percent, according to the NIH report.

Moreover, one more person died of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, reported the NIH, adding that 141 people are in critical condition.

Earlier, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had issued guidelines in view of the three-day Eidul Azha which was celebrated across the country from July 10-12, urging people to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent Covid-19 infection.

The forum had advised the people to stay indoors during the Eid holidays and observe precautionary measures in view of the rising trend of Covid cases. It was advised to undertake minimal necessary travel during Eid holidays as the risk of a new wave was imminent.

The NCOC directed that the Eid prayers should be offered at open spaces with Covid-19 protocols.

The NCOC also suggested that the Eid sermon should be kept brief and comprehensive with minors under 15 years of age, elderly citizens and those suffering from some illness discouraged from attending the congregational prayers on the first day of Eid.

The government has now encouraged the eligible people to get the booster shots for safety against the pandemic.

The booster shot is an additional dose of a coronavirus vaccine given to people who are already fully vaccinated with either the two-dose Chinese vaccine Sinopharm, Sinovac and Sputnik V, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Pfizer – or the single-dose PakVac.

Health ministry spokesperson Sajid Shah informed that the booster shots of Chinese vaccines were available at all the vaccination centres but Pfizer vaccine was only available at mass vaccination centres. The NCOC has also arranged to vaccinate the elderly at their homes.