Tag: COVID-19 vaccine

  • 60,000 vaccinated residents to be allowed to perform Hajj

    60,000 vaccinated residents to be allowed to perform Hajj

    Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday it will allow 60,000 vaccinated residents of the kingdom to perform the annual Hajj.

    The Saudi Hajj Ministry said this year’s pilgrimage would be “open for nationals and residents of the kingdom, limited to 60,000 pilgrims,” according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

    The pilgrimage, scheduled to be held at the end of July, would be limited to those who have been vaccinated and are below 65 years of age with no chronic illnesses.

    It will be the second year in a row that the kingdom will host a reduced number of pilgrims for Hajj amid the coronavirus pandemic.

  • COVID-19: Walk-in vaccines for people above 18 to start soon

    The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has announced that walk-in vaccination for citizens above 18 years of age will be available in Pakistan from June 11 (Friday). The decision was made in the NCOC session held today.

    It was also decided in the meeting that vaccination centres will remain open from 8am to 10pm daily from June 11, except on Sundays.

    Other decisions taken in the meeting will be implemented from June 15, which are:

    • Restriction on the closure of two days a week will be relaxed to one day. Choice of the day will be at the discretion of the federating units.
    • Partial opening of indoor gyms for vaccinated members only.
    • Only selective non-contact sports will be permitted, while the ban on contact sports(karate, boxing, MMA, rugby, kabbadi, wrestling, water polo) and festivals, cultural and other events will remain imposed.
    • Ban on the closure of shrines will remain imposed.
    • Cinemas will remain closed.
    • Existing 50 percent work from a home policy will be relaxed to 100 per cent office attendance.
    • Two days weekly ban on inter-provincial transportation will be lifted.
    • Restriction regarding 50 per cent occupancy for public transport will be relaxed to 70 percent occupancy.
    • Current restrictions already announced by NCOC regarding recreation, education sector, mask-wearing SOP, Railways and inbound passengers policy will remain in place till further order.

  • Lahore gets its first drive-through vaccination centre

    The city district administration of Lahore has established the first drive-through vaccination centre at Nishtar Park Sports Complex. According to details, the facility has been launched in collaboration with the Bank of Punjab.

    This facility will help people get vaccinated from the comfort of their vehicles in just 15-20 minutes, which includes registration, checking vitals, and inoculation. The timings for the drive-through vaccination centre are from 08:00 pm to 02:00 am.

    Pakistan’s vaccination drive began on March 10 with priority given to healthcare workers and senior citizens above 60. Later, vaccinations for those aged 50-59 were started on April 21. Meanwhile, registration for ages 40-49 was started on on April 2 and the registration for19 plus started from May 27.

  • Asad Umar urges unity against ‘danger knocking at our doors’

    Federal Minister Ministry for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives and head of the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) Asad Umar has warned the nation about the danger of the COVID-19 “knocking at our doors” and has expressed the need to unite against the virus.

    “The need for caution is clear,” warned Umar. “The danger is higher than ever and [is] knocking at our doors.”

    The minister urged everyone to take the necessary precautions and follow the coronavirus SOPs.

    “Need the country to unite in response and achieve once again what we achieved in the first wave, for which we received global praise. InshAllah we will do it again, together,” said Umar.

    The minister also quoted examples from the other countries of the region including India and Nepal to explain the intensity of the situation.

    He also explained the rationale behind the recent restrictions imposed on mobility. To reduce mobility during the forthcoming Eid-ul-Fitar NCOC has announced a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” strategy from May 8 to May 16, with the complete ban on tourism, for both locals and outsiders. All tourist resorts, formal and informal picnic spots, public parks, shopping malls; all hotels and restaurants in/around tourist/ picnic spots to will be remain closed during the mentioned time period.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan has also started local production of the first bulk of the Cansino vaccine, which will be available at the end of the month. A special plant was set up at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad.

    Pakistan is currently administering China’s Sinopharm at govt centres and Russia’s sputnik at private centres, and the first batch of the first shipment of the British coronavirus AstraZeneca has arrived in Pakistan.

    The country is battling with its third wave of COVID-19. According to the NCOC, Pakistan has recorded 4,109 cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours while 120 people have lost their lives to the deadly virus.

    Meanwhile, Firdous Ashiq Awan has urged people to avoid the usual, “Jhappiyan or Puppiyan”, this Eid.

  • PCB completes first phase of COVID-19 vaccination for players, support staff

    PCB completes first phase of COVID-19 vaccination for players, support staff

    The Pakistan Cricket Board has completed the first phase of it’s  COVID-19 vaccination drive in collaboration with Pakistan government’s National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

    During this phase, Pakistan’s leading cricketers across all three formats and support staff were vaccinated.

    The PCB is one of the first cricket boards in the world to introduce a robust vaccination programme to ensure the health and safety of it’s players and support staff in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

    In the first phase, 57 men players, 13 officials of the men’s team and 13 NHPC men and women coaches were vaccinated. A number of franchise players and support staff besides PCB match officials involved in the February-March phase of the Pakistan Super League (three match referees, three umpires) were also vaccinated.

    Read more – PCB introduces parental support policy for cricketers

    The vaccination drive started on March 4 in Karachi and carried on for more than two months, before its conclusion on May 6 when eight players — part of Pakistan’s squad for the ongoing Test series against Zimbabwe — were given second doses in Harare.

    As per details, In the next phase, remaining domestic men cricketers, national women cricketers, age-group cricketers and support staff of the domestic, national women and age-group teams will be vaccinated. The second-phase is expected to commence shortly.

    PCB Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer said: “The PCB has a duty of care towards its cricketers, especially in the ongoing pandemic, and keeping that in mind we requested the NCOC for vaccines during the Pakistan Super League 6. The vaccination drive started in Karachi and our first priority was to get the players and support staff involved in the tournament vaccinated.

    “After the initial round of vaccination in Karachi, we focused on getting the remaining members of the men’s squad, who were not involved in PSL 6, vaccinated before the tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe.

    “We remain grateful to the NCOC for recognising the importance of vaccines for our players and prioritising them for national interest as both players and support staff are constantly traveling for domestic and international cricket commitments and carry infection risks especially once outside the bio-secure bubbles.

    “The PCB is fully behind the government’s vaccination drive and once again urges people across Pakistan to get vaccinated in order to ensure the health and safety of their own selves and their families.

    “Our players — both men and women — and PCB management will continue to provide full support and backing to the NCOC vaccine awareness initiatives as they have done repeatedly since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.”

    Meanwhile, Pakistan Test Team, who is in Zimbabwe has elected to bat first against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club in the second Test Match, after defeating the hosts 1-0 in the two-Test series.

  • VIDEO: Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan vaccinates citizens

    Trust Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan to do the unusual and make headlines. Dr Firdous was recently spotted administering COVID-19 vaccines to citizens who had come to get vaccinated.

    In a video doing the rounds on social media, Dr Awan can be seen injecting a citizen with a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. As per Geo News, the CM’s aide vaccinated more than one citizen at a vaccination centre set up by the government in Sialkot.

    During her visit, Dr Awan also promised to announce vaccinations for journalists, saying that she will vaccinate journalists herself.

    Meanwhile, Asad Umar has announced that vaccine registrations for citizens aged 40 and above will commence from tomorrow. He also announced that walk-in vaccinations for citizens above 50 have also been opened.

    Vaccinations of people 60 and above commenced on March 10, while registrations for people above 50 started from March 30, and the vaccination drive of people in the age group 50-59 started on April 21.

    As per NCOC, Pakistan recorded 4,825 cases and 70 deaths in last 24 hours with the positivity rate of 9.61%.

  • VIDEO: Meera gets vaccinated in New York

    Meera has received her dose of COVID-19 vaccine in New York.

    Sharing a video of herself getting the vaccine shot, Meera wrote: “Alhamdulillah, I was able to get vaccinated for COVID-19 a few days ago, while in New York.”

    The actor shared that she experienced “mild symptoms including fever, headache, fatigue and body aches” after the vaccine but would still “recommend everyone to get vaccinated to keep you and your loved ones safe”.

    Urging her followers to get vaccinated, Meera said: “Please don’t be scared of the vaccine, it’s only to help everyone survive from this pandemic.”

    In one of the videos, Meera said that she received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and urged her followers to take the vaccine “to keep fighting against COVID-19.”

    Earlier this week, Meera was seen in a video with a man believed to be her father-in-law Raja Khalid Parvez. Parvez was driving the car while Meera thanked him for taking her to get a vaccine shot. Both of them were not wearing face masks.

    Earlier, reports were rife that Meera has been admitted to a mental facility in the United States. At the time, Meera’s manager had confirmed to The Current that the actor had only gone to get vaccinated and that reports of her being admitted to a facility were completely baseless.

  • Sputnik vaccine reportedly available in Karachi

    Sputnik vaccine reportedly available in Karachi

    Sputnik vaccine is now available in Karachi for people who want to go for private vaccinations. As per details, the vaccine is available at Karachi’s Southcity Hospital for Rs 17,268 for two shots.

    Journalist Omar Quraishi shared the news on social media, saying: “Rs 17,268 for two doses of the Sputnik vaccine being charged by Karachi’s Southcity Hospital. Rs 12,268 is the price of the doses plus Rs 5,000 ‘administration charge’ by the hospital.”

    Later, the journalist said that he called the hospital to get some information, finding out that the whole process is a “complete mess”.

    People who booked their appointments have to call for the appointment again when the system starts working.

    Giving an update, Quraishi said: “Whoever managed to book an appointment for a Sputnik vaccine dose at South City Hospital in Karachi will have to re-book and go through the entire process all over again – when the system is reopened and when the hospital actually has vaccines.”

    OMI hospital is also reportedly administering vaccinations after registration.

    Meanwhile, the government has started the vaccination drive for citizens 50 and above. The government has also allowed walk-in vaccination for seniors aged 65 and above at different health centres.

    Pakistan is currently battling with its third wave of COVID-19. According to the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), Pakistan has reported 5,234 cases and 83 deaths in the last 24 hours.

  • CanSino vaccine: Three million doses to be ‘packed in Pakistan’

    Minister for Planning and Development and head of the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) Asad Umar has announced that Pakistan will be getting bulk vaccine by mid-April from Cansino from which three million vaccine doses can be made.

    Read more – Govt launches COVID-19 immunization certificate portal

    Umar said the bulk vaccine received “will be formulated, sterilised and packed in Pakistan” and for this purpose special equipment has been procured and manpower is being trained.

    The Minister also said that the “first batch of Cansino vaccine procured [is] being received today (Tuesday).”

    “This is the vaccine in which Pakistan participated in Phase 3 trials, which was the first time ever that Pakistan had done so for any vaccine,” he added.

    Vaccination of people 60 and above commenced on March 10, while registrations for people above 50 started from today (March 30).

    Pakistan is currently battling with its third wave of COVID-19. According to the NCOC, Pakistan has recorded 4084 cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours and 100 people have lost their lives to the deadly virus.

  • Gill dismisses report claiming he is ‘earning billions by importing COVID-19 vaccine’

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s aide on political communication, Dr Shahbaz Gill, has rubbished reports claiming that he is earning hefty profits by importing vaccine for COVID-19.

    “Some people are making false claims that I have imported coronavirus vaccine. This news is fake. I have nothing to do with it,” he tweeted, urging people to stop spreading it.

    The government has now allowed Gill’s company to import Russian vaccine with a profit of Rs7,000 on each dose, the report had alleged.

    It went on to claim that Gill’s company had ordered 200,000 Sputnik-V vaccines in the first consignment, keeping a net profit of Rs1.40 billion — with Rs8,500 for every Rs1,550 dose — in one consignment and that too with the permission of the government.

    In another tweet, Gill said the fake WhatsApp forward regarding him cracked him up.

    The news and its dismissal comes days after the government capped the maximum retail price of Russian and Chinese coronavirus vaccine injections imported by the private sector.

    The government has fixed the maximum sale price of Sputnik-V vaccine at Rs8,449 for two doses and China’s Convidecia at Rs4,225 per injection, showed the summary of the National Health Services and Regulations Ministry.