Karachi [Pakistan], April 6 (ANI): Thousands of Pakistanis rushed to COVID-19 vaccination sites to get inoculated in the first round of commercial sales of Sputnik V vaccines.
The commercial sales of Sputnik V began over the weekend, with vaccination sites in the southern city of Karachi saying they had already sold out, reported TRTWorld.
Pictures of queues outside the hospital late into the night were shared on social media.
Pakistan is currently offering free vaccines to frontline healthcare workers and people over the age of 50, but the drive has thus far been slow, and last month the country allowed commercial imports by the private sector for the general public.
Those still not eligible for the government’s free vaccination wait in long queues at vaccination sites in Pakistan to get vaccinated despite the USD 80 (12,000 Pakistani rupees) cost for a pack of two doses as the country allows private sales of the Covid-19 vaccines.
Despite the cost, a number of centres offering the shot reported long queues, with some in Karachi waiting in line for close to three hours. Most in the queue were young Pakistanis still not eligible for the government’s free vaccination, reported TRTWorld.
While the private sale of vaccines has begun, the government and importers are still locked in a pricing dispute.
Pakistan initially agreed to exempt imported vaccines from price caps, but later rescinded the exemption and said it would set maximum prices.
One pharmaceutical company, which had already imported 50,000 doses of Sputnik V, took the government to court, where it won an interim order allowing it to sell it until pricing is decided, reported TRTWorld.
The number of patients now in critical care has reached 3,568, the highest since the pandemic started, a cabinet minister, Asad Umar, said on Twitter.
Pakistan has thus far reported 687,908 infections and 14,778 deaths, reported TRTWorld. (ANI)
Pakistan will take a decade to vaccinate 75 pc population: report
Amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan, a report published in an American publication has said that Islamabad will take around a decade to vaccinate 75 per cent of its population in contrast with the developed countries which would take a much shorter period.
According to a Bloomberg report cited by Arab News, countries like the US, Britain and Israel were likely to reach the 75 percent target within three months while others like Pakistan were expected to immunise the same level of their population in about a decade. As per the same report, India will acquire herd immunity through vaccination in a little over three years.
This comes amid the rising number of cases in Pakistan which has lead to increased restrictions, broader lockdowns and stronger standard operating procedures.
“Increased restrictions, broader lockdowns and stronger sops (Standard operating procedure) enforcement are starting to have effect. Initial signs of positivity slowing. However, due to momentum of last 2 weeks patients on critical care and mortality will stay at high levels for some time. Please follow sops and be safe,” Asad Umar, chairman of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) tweeted. The latest report also said that countries like Germany and France were likely to acquire herd immunity through vaccination in about a year.
Taking Pakistan‘s current situation in account, the report also raised concern over the issue due to the “general indifference to medical problems once they stop bothering rich countries.”
As many as 3953 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 696,184. Amid the growing concerns over the spread of COVID-19 ahead of Ramadan, Pakistan last Sunday had reported 3,568 coronavirus patients, who are under critical care. This is the highest number ever since the pandemic started. (ANI)
