Covid-19 vaccination trainings 'near completion' in all provinces

Taking necessary measures prior to vaccine availability, provincial health secretaries tell NCOC

ISLAMABAD:

The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) was informed on Monday that provinces had almost training the staff of teaching hospital and tehsil and district headquarter hospitals to carry out a swift Covid-19 vaccination drive.

The NCOC meeting, chaired by National Coordinator Lieutenant General Hamood Uz Zaman Khan, discussed updates from the provinces on positivity ratio and critical data as well as implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs or alternate measures to treat Covid other than medical treatment), preparations for vaccine inoculation and national vaccine strategy.

In their briefing to the NCOC, the provincial chief and health secretaries including that of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) informed that all necessary measures were being taken prior to the availability of coronavirus vaccine.

The chief secretaries also informed the forum about the steps being taken to ensure standard operating procedures (SOPs) and NPIs' implementation.

Also read: Pakistan's Covid-19 positivity ratio at 3.96%: NCOC

They also briefed about the positivity ratio in their respective provinces and cities with higher positive cases.

The forum was told that a large number of fines had been imposed while restaurants, shops and business centers had also been closed for not complying with the SOPs.

The NCOC also reviewed the overall situation of coronavirus in the county. It was further informed that all foreign travellers, especially from UK and South Africa were being tested at the airports. Those testing positive for the coronavirus, were being quarantined.

Moreover, the forum discussed the complete procedure of vaccination, its time of availability, distribution process and most demanding areas where it can be used at the earliest in detail.

The meeting also stressed on purchasing quality of vaccination to ensure successful treatment of Covid-19 patients.

The government would keep the record of vaccinated persons, even those who travelled from abroad would have to provide a legal document confirming that they had been vaccinated.