A woman receives the Sinopharm vaccine in the first drive-through vaccination centre, in Lahore on June 10. AFP
ISLAMABAD: While around 300,000 doses of vaccines are being administered daily and number of cases is continuously decreasing across the country, over 70 per cent ventilators and the oxygenated beds allocated for Covid-19 patients are vacant.
The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has denied rumours that the government would “forcibly” administer the vaccine and plans were under consideration to discourage refusals.
The data of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) shared on Thursday shows that while 1,303 cases and 76 deaths were reported in a single day, over 70pc ventilators and oxygenated beds allocated for Covid-19 patients across the country have become vacant.
• Minister fears situation might get out of control
• 500,000 vaccine doses arrive, 1.5m expected soon
• Over 5,000 new patients surface, 148 die in single day
• Positivity rate crosses 11pc
ISLAMABAD: With the national positivity ratio of Covid-19 surpassing 11 per cent, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Wednesday said more restrictions could be announced on Friday, hinting at closing down major cities if the current trend continued.
On the other hand, the decision to place more countries on the category C list was deferred till Friday as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan could not attend the meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).
• Sinopharm’s registration expected next week
• Minister denies VIPs already vaccinated
• NCOC reports over 2,000 infections
ISLAMABAD: In a major development, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) has approved AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use and was expected to register the Chinese state-owned firm Sinopharm’s medicine next week.
Though Pakistan might not get the vaccine through a bilateral agreement as the drug is being prepared in India, it will pave the way for getting free vaccine through Covax for 20 per cent of the country’s population.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan confirmed to