Islamabad: The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has issued a notification authorizing the use of the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine Sinopharm for people over 60 years of age. The measure has been taken two months after the vaccine was first approved for use in the country.
A spokesperson of the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) confirmed the authorization for the said age group saying all healthcare workers registered with National Immunisation Management System (NIMS ) above 60 years could now get themselves vaccinated from designated vaccine centers.
Earlier, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health (SAPM) Dr Faisal Sultan had cautioned that the Sinopharm shot was not recommended for people older than 60 years. However, later he himself dismissed the notion and got himself inoculated with the same vaccine. According to the health authorities senior citizens other than health workers would also start receiving jabs soon.
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1000 GMT, March 5 pakistantelegraph.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from pakistantelegraph.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Pakistan not planning to buy COVID-19 vaccines; to rely on herd immunity and donated jabs
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Last Updated: Mar 05, 2021, 02:18 PM IST
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So far, four vaccines -Sinophram (China), Oxford-AstraZeneca (UK), Sputnik-V (Russia) and Cansino Bio (China) have been registered in the country.
Reuters
Pakistan is not planning to buy vaccines anytime soon as it aims to tackle the COVID-19 challenge through herd immunity and donated vaccines from friendly countries like China, authorities have said.
So far, four vaccines -Sinophram (China), Oxford-AstraZeneca (UK), Sputnik-V (Russia) and Cansino Bio (China) have been registered in the country.
National Health Service (NHS) Secretary Amir Ashraf Khawaja while briefing the Public Accounts Committee on Thursday said that the Pakistan government has no plan to buy vaccines anytime soon and aims to tackle the COVID-19 health challenge through herd immunity and donated vaccines, Dawn newspaper reported.
Islamabad: Pakistan is not planning to buy vaccines anytime soon as it aims to tackle the COVID-19 challenge through herd immunity and donated vaccines