Explainer: Who can get a 2nd booster shot for Covid-19 in Pakistan and where?
Those aged 18 and above, immunocompromised persons of all eligible age groups, healthcare workers and travellers are eligible.
Is Omicron leading us closer to herd immunity?
“Herd immunity is an elusive concept and doesn’t apply to coronavirus,” says an expert.
Scientists on alert over rising cases caused by Omicron cousin BA.2
Some early reports indicate that BA.2 maybe even more infectious than the already extremely contagious BA.1.
Editorial: Authorities must make sure that vaccine coverage is undertaken on a war footing
Countries like Pakistan where millions are still unvaccinated are at greater risk from new variants like ‘Omicron BA2’.
India fears another Covid catastrophe as cases rise
Daily infections nearly tripled over two days this week to more than 90,000, a surge driven by the contagious Omicron variant.
How do you know if you have a cold, the flu or Covid-19?
It’s possible to get the flu and Covid-19 at the same time, which some are calling “flurona”.
Explainer: Who can get a Covid-19 booster shot in Pakistan and where?
Healthcare workers, people above 30 and immunocompromised individuals of all eligible age groups can now receive a booster dose.
Is Pakistan ready to deal with the upcoming Omicron tide?
The number of cases represents just the narrow tip of a huge submerged iceberg.
Countries need to expand their strategy to deal with Covid beyond travel bans
No country, however rich and resourceful, can be insulated from the epidemic.
Editorial: NCOC's silence on report highlighting massive irregularities in Covid spending is strange
The federal government needs to come clean on all the matters and provide a detailed explanation.
Explainer: All we know about new Covid-19 variant Omicron
Cambridge University expert says data so far suggest Omicron has mutations “consistent with enhanced transmissibility”.
The Analytical Angle: How Pakistan can tackle Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy
Increasing vaccination uptake is important as there is every possibility of another wave.
Living with Covid
Mental health professionals have been warning that Covid has brought with it a depression crisis.
Desperate Indians sell family gold to survive Covid cash crunch
Banks disbursed “loans against gold jewellery” worth $64 billion in the first eight months of 2021, central bank data shows.
Global hits, local heroes: Covid-19 jabs around the world
mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have emerged as the most successful.
Annual ritual at Hyderabad's Kalhoro shrine draws crowds of women despite Covid-19 restrictions
Women from different cities, including Karachi, come to the shrine to have their prayers answered.
Covid strikes Balochistan team
The Pakistan Cricket Board says in a media release that Balochistan will now play Northern on Saturday.
Covid-19 treatments: What works, what doesn't, what might
The World Health Organisation has approved three types of Covid-19 treatment so far.
Drone deliveries provide lifeline for isolating Covid patients in Indonesia
Mobility restrictions remain in place in many Indonesian cities in a bid to contain a devastating wave of Covid-19 infections.
Bike riders become essential part of Covid-era economy
Online shopping and delivery have become a big part of our lives, especially the younger generation.
Explainer: Beyond Delta, scientists are watching new coronavirus variants
New vaccines that block transmission are needed to defeat Covid-19; until then the world will remain vulnerable to new variants.
Editorial: Lockdown is far from ideal, but Sindh government's decision is rooted in epidemiology
If Sindh govt does not manage to control the spread of Covid, hospitals may collapse in coming weeks.
Karachi's street children back on roads due to lockdown of Footpath School
All educational institutions in Sindh were closed this week due to spread of the Delta variant.
Eidul Azha economy thrives amidst pandemic precautions
Despite a surge in Covid-19 cases, people are ready to celebrate the festival with traditional enthusiasm.
In pictures: Pilgrims head to Makkah for second pandemic Haj
Only 60,000 fully vaccinated Saudi residents from more than 558,000 applicants have been chosen for the downsized pilgrimage.
Editorial: Pakistan is lucky not to have plunged into an all-out disaster yet, but Delta variant can take us there
With the spread of Delta variant, fear that mass infections will cripple healthcare infrastructure is frighteningly real.
Flooding forces Ganges to give up its coronavirus dead
Officials in Allahabad say almost 150 bodies that floated up in the past three weeks have been cremated.
Explainer: How to get your Covid vaccination certificate and what to do in case of a mistake
You can get your certificate online by visiting nims.nadra.gov.pk, entering your details and paying a fee of Rs100.
What we know so far about the Covid-19 Delta variant and its sub-lineage Delta Plus
The variant, called "Delta Plus" in India, was first reported in a Public Health England bulletin on June 11.
Covid-19 restrictions spur illegitimate beggary business
Beggars can be choosers now!
Pakistan should centre its vaccination programme around informed consent of citizens
A communication campaign about vaccination that encourages informed consent of citizens will improve outcomes.
The work-from-anywhere culture presents a huge opportunity for Pakistani workers
Pakistan can develop and organise its own highly skilled workforce so that it becomes more attractive to foreign employers.
Editorial: Sindh govt should realise penalties and punishments for vaccine refusals should be the last resort
For vaccine sceptics, a mandatory vaccine order will fuel resentment and may be viewed as a form of state oppression.
Editorial: The govt needs to acknowledge the terrible setbacks to education and devise a long-term plan
When it comes to decisions on education, the role of the government leaves much to be desired.
Do I need to get tested for Covid-19 if I’m vaccinated?
Many common colds and viruses can cause symptoms resembling Covid-19, experts say.
How Pakistan can satisfy its healthcare needs post-pandemic
Instead of taking traditional approaches, it is time for innovative planning and belief that the future is fleeing fast.
Police heavy-handedness in enforcing lockdown measures in Karachi is reprehensible
What one usually sees is that right at the cut-off time, police rush to bazaars and browbeat salesmen to call it a night.
How Covid-19 is threatening cricket’s decades-long appeal and charm
Coronavirus has forced the game to witness crowdless matches, cancellation of tours and sharp slump in revenues.
What would the Covid vaccine patent waiver mean for Pakistan?
Pakistan is too overwhelmed by economic and political challenges to plan ahead for the waiver.
Umrah in a pandemic: Lessons from Makkah on containing Covid-19
All pilgrims who wanted a permit to enter Haram — the Grand Mosque of Makkah — needed to have a Covid-19 vaccination certificate.
All you need to know about Covid vaccines in Pakistan
Pakistan has so far approved five Covid vaccines: Sinopharm, Cansino, Sinovac, Sputnik and AstraZeneca.
Editorial: We must not allow ‘pandemic fatigue’ to make us lax in our behaviour
It is indisputable that our actions now will prevent matters from becoming far worse.
The Analytical Angle: How Pakistan can learn from the Covid crisis in India
The data are already showing that Pakistan may be headed into a similar catastrophe.
How has the pandemic impacted the volume of Eid business this year?
Online shopping has picked up pace but the 25pc spike is on a relatively narrow base in the country.
Suspending patents on Covid vaccines will pave the way for the world's quick exit from the pandemic
There is no guarantee the developing world will get the required number of doses at affordable prices and in time.
Editorial: Pakistan may yet again be standing at a crossroads where the pandemic is concerned
The slightest loosening of SOP protocols could send us hurling in the direction where India finds itself today.
In pictures: India’s virus catastrophe worsens, with ‘horrible’ weeks ahead
The country has witnessed scenes of people dying outside overwhelmed hospitals and funeral pyres lighting up the night sky.