UK approves Sinopharm, Sinovac for inward travellers from Nov 22

The United Kingdom on Tuesday announced that travellers fully vaccinated with Chinese vaccined – Sinovac and Sinopharm – can travel to the country from November 22. 

The other vaccine approved by the British government is India's Covaxin.

British High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr Christian Turner took to his official Twitter handle to announce the “good news” for Pakistani travellers.

The UK “adds Sinonvac, Sinopharm & Covaxin to the fully vaccinated list for inward travel Rules from 22 November,” he wrote.

According to the British government's official travel guidelines, travellers must have had a complete course of one of the approved vaccines at least 14 days before they arrive in the UK.

Read Covid-19 pandemic: Pakistan ‘tops’ global normalcy index

The vaccines approved by the UK government are:

• Oxford/AstraZeneca
• Pfizer BioNTech
• Moderna
• Janssen

and from November 22, vaccines listed in the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing:

• Sinovac
• Sinopharm Beijing
• Covaxin

Earlier, those vaccinated with Sinovac, Sinopharm, or Covaxin had to take a Covid PCR test within 3 days before travelling to England, book and pay for day 2 and day 8 Covid PCR tests after arriving in England and complete a passenger locator form.

Further details for travelling to the UK can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/countries-with-approved-covid-19-vaccination-programmes-and-proof-of-vaccination

NCOC reviews vaccination progress

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday reviewed the progress of the nationwide vaccination drive, as well as the availability of vaccines with regards to future requirements.

The session was attended by chief of NCOC Asad Umar, National Coordinator NCOC Major General Zafar Iqbal and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan.

Expressing satisfaction over the current stability of the epi curve, the forum appreciated the populace for their compliance with Nonpharmaceutical interventions, which ensured individual and collective well-being.

The meeting also paid tribute to frontline healthcare workers – including doctors, paramedics, and nursing staff – who endangered their lives to save others from the hazards of the calamitous coronavirus.

Read more NCOC shifts campaign focus to second Covid jab

They also praised the media for its pivotal role in crisis communication and creating mass awareness for generating a desired public response.

Asad Umar appreciated the implementation of the vaccination drive but urged all federal units to avoid complacency as the threat of the virus remained.

The forum emphasised increasing the administration of the second jab against Covid to sufficiently raise the immunity level for long term dividends.