In an attempt to eliminate the fast-spreading Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan kickstarted its efforts with the inauguration of the vaccination drive in Islamabad, on Tuesday. Prime Minister Imran Khan attended the ceremony in the capital, where a doctor received the first jab. In the first phase of the vaccination drive, which begins today, priority will be given to healthcare and frontline workers, reported Dawn.com. Pakistan received 500,000 dozes of the Sinopharm vaccine, donated by China, on Monday. It also expects some 6 million dozens of AstraZeneca vaccine in the first quarter of this year, while 11 million more shots will reportedly reach the country by June.
An anaesthetist and critical care specialist, Prof Rana Imran Sikander, was the first doctor to have been vaccinated against the disease at the PM Office in the presence of PM Khan, following which, the premier said, “I congratulate my team which has worked promptly and vaccine was imported. We are also thankful to China which has provided vaccine. Just like the vaccine has been inoculated to a doctor, it will be given to frontline health care workers who have been dealing with the Covid-19 patients.”
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He added, “In a second phase, people of an age group [over 65] will be vaccinated. Vaccine is being distributed fairly in all the provinces and no one should think that one province has been getting more doses.” Dr Sikander said, “I am 50 years old, married, and father of four children. I drove to PM Office and then drove back to my house, after being vaccinated. I am in good health and did four-kilometre jogging in the evening.” He said people should not hesitate from getting vaccinatied. “We get BCG just after birth, polio vaccine till the age of five and a number of other vaccines throughout the life. Even pregnant women are vaccinated. So Covid-19 vaccine is also just a vaccine similar to other vaccines we take regularly,” mentioned Dr Sikander.