Pakistan to get three more vaccine shipments in April, Asad Umar says

Head of the National Command and Operations Centre, Asad Umar, on Thursday said that three more shipments of coronavirus vaccines are inbound in April.

Speaking to Geo News, Umar said that by June, Pakistan will have enough vaccines to inoculate 15 million people.

He said in Pakistan, there are more than 25 million people that are aged 50 and above. Of these, so far, 1.8 million people have registered for a vaccine.

The NCOC chief urged all elderly citizens and health workers eligible for the vaccine to get themselves registered immediately.

Speaking of the number of vaccine doses utilised so far, Umar said that these are around 1.4 million in number.

The planning minister said about 1,065,000 people have thus far been administered a vaccine and about 350,000 people have received their second dose.

Umar said that 640,000 healthcare workers have registered with NADRA's National Immunisation Management System (NIMS) and so far, 392,000 of them have been adminstered the vaccine.

"It is not possible to simultaneously vaccinate all registered individuals," said the minister.

He said Pakistan has a limited number of trained staff and vaccination centres.

"Across the world, a phased-wise approach is being taken for vaccinations," he added.

"The wealthiest of nations have been vaccinating their populations for months now and it may take them many more months," Umar said.

'Will consider proposal for schools to be open twice a week'

Separately, Umar indicated he will consider a proposal by private educational institutes for schools to be open twice a week, sources told Geo News.

According to the sources, a delegation of representatives from private educational institutes met Umar today.

Umar told the delegation that he will consider the proposal in a meeting of the NCOC on Saturday.

During the meeting, the reopening of schools and the implementation of coronavirus safety measures were discussed. The problems being faced by the educational institutes were also deliberated upon.

The delegation, according to sources, also raised the issue of the delay in delivery of a relief package announced by the government.

Umar, in response, said that a summary of the relief package would be prepared immediately to facilitate educational institutes.