China Covid variant sets off alarm bells

NCOC says it is fully prepared to deal with any variant

ISLAMABAD:

The National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) on Saturday said that the threat of the new coronavirus variant in China has also started to hover over Pakistan.

However, officials claimed that Pakistan was fully prepared to deal with any new variant of Covid-19.

The lifting of the lockdown in China and free travelling has increased the risk of a new Covid variant entering into Pakistan.

According to the NCOC official, new variants have come in the past as well, but they were controlled in time. “We are fully prepared to tackle and control any variant.”

Reports suggest the coronavirus strain spreading in China is a sub-variant of the highly infectious Omicron variant: BF.7 or BA.5.2.1.7.

Checking and screening arrangements are also in place at airports and other routes.

Because of the anti-coronavirus vaccine, the risk is reduced. According to the details, 90 per cent of the eligible population's vaccination was complete, while 95 per cent of the population had received at least one dose of the vaccine.