Pakistan
Two million Sinovac doses arrive in Pakistan as country struggles with vaccine shortage
Islamabad: A special plane of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carrying two million doses of the Sinovac vaccine has reached Islamabad from China as country struggles with a shortage Covid-19 jabs.
The National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) said in a statement that the vaccine has been purchased from China by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
“NDMA is purchasing vaccines from international market under NCOC. Pakistan will now have sufficient vaccines after arrival of Covid-19 jabs,” the NCOC statement read.
Measures have been taken to transport the jabs to all federating units as per their requirement, the NCOC said.
Pakistan struggled with shortage of vaccine last week as many people were returned from vaccination centers without receiving the jabs.
Several people also held protests in various cities including Lahore, Karachi and Faisalabad over shortage of vaccine and termed it as mismanagement on part of government.
The National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) has revised the guidelines for the Chinese vaccines, increasing the gap between the two doses to six weeks.
The interval between the two-dose Sinovac and Sinopharm has been increased to six weeks as per new guidelines issues by NCOC.
Earlier, the second dose of Sinopharm was administered after 21 days and Sinovac after 28 days.
Talking to local media over the development, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Dr. Faisal Sultan said, “It would provide some flexibility in timing. Will help in some situations.”
Different cities of country experienced shortage of vaccines over the weekend.