Necessary measures taken to store incoming Covid-19 vaccine

The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on Saturday was apprised by authorities concerned that all necessary measures had been put in place for Covid-19 vaccine storage in Islamabad.

The first shipment of a Chinese Covid-19 vaccine is expected to arrive by January 31 (Sunday) in Pakistan.

During today’s session, the forum deliberated about vaccine administration strategy and measures across Pakistan and particularly the movement of the initial tranche of vaccine for which a special plane would fly to China tomorrow for transportation.

Furthermore, the vaccine would be moved to various federating units of Sindh and Balochistan through the air.

Earlier, on January 27, it was reported that the NCOC had developed a vaccination plan keeping in view the best global principles and health guidelines.

Read More: Explainer: How to get the Covid vaccine in Pakistan

On January 28, the federal government gave the green light for three Covid-19 vaccines including Russia’s Sputnik-V, China’s Sinopharm and UK’s Oxford-AstraZeneca for emergency use in the country for which a step-by-step guide was also issued.

Asad Umar, who heads the NCOC, said on the microblogging website, Twitter, the frontline health workers would be among the first recipients of the vaccine. “God willing, the vaccination of frontline health workers will start next week,” the minister tweeted.

The minister confirmed that the plan for vaccination had been finalised. “The system for vaccination is in place. Hundreds of vaccination centres in the country will be administering covid vaccine,” he added in his tweet.