Provincial Minister of Sindh for Health Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho says "administering booster jabs to 65-year-olds necessary"
KARACHI: Provincial Minister of Sindh for Health Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho has demanded the federal government provide vaccine stocks for the booster dose drive in the province, Geo News reported.
"Administering booster jabs to individuals over the age of 65 years is necessary," Pechuho said while addressing a press conference in Karachi.
She said that she doesn't have many details about the newly discovered variant of the coronavirus — Omicron — but "there have been more than 30 genetic mutations in this virus."
"[We] will conduct a genetical research if vaccinated individuals contract the new strain," said Pechuho.
The provincial minister further stated that they have asked the Centre to start the Rapid Antigen Tests again and provide stock for the booster doses drive.
She demanded the provision of 1 million doses of Pfizer, 500,000 doses each of Moderna and AstraZeneca.
However, Sindh Health Secretary Zulfiqar Ali Shah had earlier said that consignments of the vaccine are being imported for the administration drive of the booster dose.
The Government of Sindh on Sunday decided to make a booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine compulsory after the discovery of the new COVID-19 variant, Daily Jang reported.
The Sindh Health Department announced that a booster dose of Pfizer vaccine will be administered to fully vaccinated individuals.
Shah told Daily Jang that the decision to administer fully vaccinated individuals a booster jab has been made in order to prevent the spread of the virus in the province.
"The booster jabs are currently being administered at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and Dow University of Health Sciences Ojha Campus but the scale of vaccination will be expanded across the province," said Shah.
He further stated that no fee will be charged for the administration of the booster jab.
Shah requested the fully vaccinated individuals to get the booster jab and advised those who are yet to get the basic vaccination to get themselves immunised against the virus.
Pakistan on Saturday announced a ban on entry from six southern African countries as well as Hong Kong "due to threat" from the new COVID-19 variant Omicron.
A statement by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said that a ban on direct or indirect inbound travel from South Africa, Hong Kong, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, and Eswatini has been imposed, with the countries placed in Category C "with immediate effect".