Vaccine lowers risk of Covid infection: Umar

SAPM on health says Indian-origin Delta variant is spreading at a fast pace

ISLAMABAD:

Planning Minister Asad Umar said on Friday the people with both doses of Covid vaccine had seven times lowered the risk of contracting coronavirus as compared to those who had not received even the first shot of the vaccine.

Addressing a joint media stakeout with Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, Umar emphasised that vaccine was the only way to get rid of the pandemic. He added that vaccine also lowered the risk from the Indian variant of the contagion.

“Even the people with first dose have four times lower the risk of the disease as compared to those without vaccine,” Umar told reporters, while urging the people to get themselves vaccinated against the pandemic

The minister, who is also Chairman of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) – the nerve centre of the government’s anti-Covid strategy – stressed that some vaccinated people were infected with the virus but the severity of the infection was lesser than the unvaccinated people.

Sharing data of the vaccination process in Pakistan, the minister pointed out that from February 3, 2021, when the vaccination started, till July 1, some 17.7 million received the vaccine shots out of which 6.2 million people had received both jabs.

During the period, he said, 490,000 Covid-19 cases were reported, which accounted for 0.3% of the whole adult population. Among them 9,917 or 0.08% cases were those who had received the first dose, whereas 5,500 or 0.04% people were those who had received both the doses.

Read More than 500,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses administered on July 12: Umar

“This means every one out of 333 Pakistani citizens was infected, but if we take the data of the people who got the first dose, the ratio goes down to one in 1,250 people, while it further goes down to one in 2,500 among those who were completely vaccinated,” Umar added.

Responding to a question about the Indian Delta variant, the minister said that it had the worst impact on the whole region, but “the good news is that if you got vaccinated, the risk will be minimised”.

Expressing satisfaction over the rising trend of vaccination in the country, he said that for the last four days the number of people receiving jabs remained over 500,000.

He added that the government had sufficient stock of vaccines so more people should get vaccinated.

The NCOC chief said that individuals’ efforts would help make families, society and ultimately, the country, safe. “Once a large number of people have been vaccinated, Pakistan will be able to function fully,” Umar observed.

Umar said those who haven’t received vaccinations will be barred from visiting the tourist spots during the Eidul Azha holidays. “We have given the staff directives to stop all such people from entering the areas,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Sultan said that some 2,500 cases were being reported in the country on a daily basis, while the positivity ratio had currently reached 5.6%. “At the moment, the positivity ratio had reached 21% in Muzaffarabad, 22% in Gilgit and 20% in Karachi,” he added.

“Those admitted in critical care in hospitals total about 2,400,” Dr Faisal said. “Delta variant is spreading at a fast pace and it is visible from the statistics as well. I urge the masses to wear facemasks, avoid crowds and get vaccinated at all costs,” he added.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)