People’s carelessness causing spread of third corona wave: Dr Yasmin Rashid

FAISALABAD: Punjab Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid has said that the third wave of coronavirus is spreading rapidly due to carelessness and non-implementation of SOPs by the citizens.

She said this while talking to media after a syndicate meeting at the Faisalabad Medical University here on Monday. Commissioner Saqib Manan, Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zafar Ali Chaudhry, Health CEO Dr Bilal Ahmed, DHO Dr Ataul Moenum and others were also present.

The Punjab minister said that we would have to face the third wave of coronavirus bravely as like first and second. She said that Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sargodha, Lahore, and Rawalpindi were on the hit list of coronavirus and the virus could be spread in others parts of the country also if proper precautionary measures were not taken. She said that the people over 60 years of age across the province were being vaccinated. She informed that total 114 centres were fully functional and more than 22,000 senior persons had been vaccinated so far. However, she added, media representatives should sensitise citizens to remain vigilant so that corona could be defeated again by joint efforts.

The provincial health minister said that the people over the age of 55 years could be affected by corona and they should adopt preventive measures. She said that 22 new laboratories had been set up while the number of tests had been increased. She told that the media had a vital role to counter the third wave of corona.

Dr Yasmin Rashid that 44 million more vaccines were arriving and the vaccination process would not be allowed to come to a standstill. Replying to a question, the provincial minister said that this was not the time for a procession, if the opposition had reservations, let it sit and talk, let the opposition come and sit with us and make election reforms. She said that she regretted the inappropriate comment of an opposition leader on corona lockdown. She said that there was no harm in corona vaccine and it was a safest vaccine. She said that a large consignment of vaccines was arriving in Pakistan in two days. Dr Yasmin said that administrative officers and police would also be vaccinated soon.

Later, the provincial minister also visited the Samanabad Sports Complex Vaccination Centre and observed the process to vaccinate senior citizens. She also talked to the elders and said that this vaccine was safe. She lauded the arrangements made at the centre.