KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Health Dr Azra Pechuho has announced that the coronavirus vaccine will be available to all people in the province from May 16.
While speaking about the ongoing vaccination drive, the health minister said that as vaccine doses continue to arrive in Pakistan, the government will keep opening new centres to facilitate the masses.
She said the Sindh government aims to vaccinate 70 million people by December this year, adding that it is necessary for everyone to vaccinate themselves to stop the spread of the virus.
She urged the masses to continue to follow the government’s mandated coronavirus standard operation procedures (SOPs) and wear a mask whenever around people. Dr Pechuho expressed concern about the rumours being spread about the vaccine, which is causing more problems.
The Sindh government has set up a coronavirus mass vaccination centre at Karachi Expo Centre which is the largest in the country. The centre will operate round the clock and has a capacity to vaccinate 30,000 people daily.
It is equipped with essential facilities to ensure the implementation of COVID-19 SOPs, said the Sindh health department. The centre is Pakistan’s largest coronavirus vaccination centre established on the directives of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.
Last month, Dr Pechuho had warned residents that the South African and Brazilian coronavirus variants were detected in the province In a video message released by the Health and Population Welfare Department of Sindh, Dr Pechuho had said that in a genomic study carried out by Aga Khan University Hospital of 13 samples, 10 were found to have the UK variant, one had the South African variant, and one had the Brazilian variant.
She also advised the masses to avoid crowds, including small social gatherings inside homes, as well as travelling unnecessarily and even refrain from Eid shopping this year. She warned that if the required precautions were not taken, Pakistan could face a situation like that of India and there will be no way to stop it.
