Massive vaccination drive to counter Omicron threat announced

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that vaccination is the most effective way of protection against the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, Geo News reported Monday.

Umar, who is also the chief of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), while addressing a joint press conference flanked by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan in Islamabad, warned that the Omicron variant will inevitably come to Pakistan.

The minister announced that the NCOC has made some decisions regarding the highly contagious new variant, which is spreading fast across the globe.

He said that the country has only a few weeks to contain the Omicron threat. "Measures to control the [spread of] new variant in Pakistan are underway but vaccination is the only effective way of protection against Omicron,” said Umar.

Informing the media about the NCOC decisions, Umar said that the government would launch a massive vaccination campaign across the country within two to three days. “We cannot stop Omicron but can reduce its effects by adopting preventive measures,” he added.

Talking about the government’s preventive measures, the minister said that they were tightening restrictions for the passengers coming from abroad and increasing testing capacity in high-risk areas.

He urged the masses to get themselves fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. The minister further stated that the individual at high-risk of contracting the virus will be given a booster jab.