While addressing a press conference in Lahore, Minister for Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry had stated that the government is determined to provide a majority of Pakistan’s population with free of cost Covid-19 vaccine.
Private companies would be permitted to import the vaccine, said the minister. Front-line workers and senior citizens will be prioritized, he added.
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“A comprehensive model for the administration of the vaccine is being prepared,” he said.
“Efforts will be made to provide vaccine free of charge or at a minimum price to a maximum number of people.”
A few days prior to Fawad Chaudhry’s statement, the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) had announced that the government is “is regularly reviewing developments, including data from phase-III trials.” It is also in contact with some of the world’s major Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers.
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Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health, Dr. Faisal Sultan said that the Covid-19 vaccine would be available in Pakistan by March next.
The priority would be given to health workers and the people of above sixty-five age regarding vaccination, he stated in an interview with a private television channel.
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“We are in touch with three companies for purchasing the coronavirus vaccine, “ he stated. Commenting on the second layer of COVID-19, he said “It was a dangerous layer that had affected a large number of people around the world.”
About the purchase of vaccines, the SAPM said that government did not impose any restriction on the private sector for purchasing corona vaccines.
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Dr. Faisal expressed concern over the second wave of Covid-19 and the thousands of cases reported every day. He believes the second wave is more severe than the first and the current scenario needs to be addressed immediately.
On another occasion, he reiterated that the battle against Covid-19 could be won if people are resilient and follow the standard operating procedures SOPs correctly. The situation could worsen if SOPs are not followed as the daily number of cases are skyrocketing. He urged the general public to adopt the standard operating procedures (SOPs), to protect their family members from the spreading virus.
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