Pakistan to establish centres in major cities for mass coronavirus vaccination drive

• NCOC says walk-in vaccination facility to open for people over 70-years old.
• Elderly people can register themselves at 1166 and get vaccinated at the nearest health facility.
• Islamabad, Faisalabad, Karachi, Gujranwala, Peshawar, among cities where facility will open.

The National Command and Operations Centre has announced the opening of vaccination centres across Pakistan's major cities as the country's coronavirus cases rise.

The NCOC, in a statement on Monday, said walk-in vaccination facilities would be opened from March 16 for people over 70 years of age and they can get themselves vaccinated at the nearest health facility after registering at 1166.

The NCOC said all provinces are required to establish mass COVID-19 vaccination centres (CVCs) on the Expo Centre Lahore's pattern. The cities where the facilities will be set up include:

• Islamabad
• Faisalabad
• Karachi
• Gujranwala
• Lahore
• Gujrat
• Quetta
• Hyderabad
• Peshawar
• Muzaffarabad
• Rawalpindi
• Mirpur
• Multan
• Abbottabad
• Mansehra
• Bahawalpur

Similarly, people aged 60-69 years will continue to be scheduled as per the existing procedure till further announcement, the NCOC said.

The NCOC advised that provinces and districts should keep sufficient stocks at health facilities for vaccination of senior citizens — and it should be more than the vaccines reserved as a second dose for scheduled persons.