Karachi hit by coronavirus vaccine shortage

KARACHI: Sindh Health Department officials said Thursday there is a shortage of Sinopharm, Sinovac, and AstraZeneca vaccines in the port city, as thousands of people have started arriving at vaccination centres daily. 

The health department officials said vaccine reserves have been exhausted at the Expo Centre, Dow Ojha Hospital, and Sindh Government Children's Hospital, while supplies to inoculation centres at New Karachi, Liaquatabad, and Lyari have been suspended.

The officials said the first dose of Sinopharm, Sinovac, and AstraZeneca vaccines are not being administered, while a sparse number of jabs were available for those seeking a second dose.

The majority of the people are being administered the Moderna vaccine, they said.

The health department officials said people had started visiting nearby and drive-through vaccination centres after the government had increased the number of inoculation centres.

It will take at least a week for more vaccine doses to arrive in the province, they said.

Vaccination centres have been overrun after the government announced penalties for the unvaccinated, including blocked mobile SIMs and barred access to offices, restaurants, shopping malls, and transport.

Later, in a statement, the health department's spokesperson clarified there is no vaccine shortage at the Expo Center.

The spokesperson said the department sent 30,000 doses of Sinovac to the inoculation centre this morning, while 900 doses were already available there.