ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has asked the people to strictly adhere to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure that the war against Covid-19 pandemic, which has almost been won, is not lost in the ultimate analysis.

It said that efforts were being made to get vaccines from Covax at the earliest.

NHS spokesperson Sajid Shah told Dawn on Tuesday that the people should not pay heed to rumours about Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as no side effects of the vaccine had been observed in the country.

“Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is an effective vaccine, but unfortunately rumours are being spread to make the vaccine controversial. Peo­ple should visit the website of the Ministry of NHS and www.covid.gov.pk to get the accurate information. The fact is that the World Health Organisation has also stated that the vaccine, being used in Pakistan, is safe,” the spokesperson said.

Mr Shah said the virus was present in Pakistan and it could bounce back if the people stopped following the SOPs. He urged the civil society to play its role and create awareness among the masses that the vaccine was in their best interest and it would help create herd immunity if enough people were vaccinated.

“Pakistan cannot afford resurgence of the virus as we will have to impose restrictions and this will choke all economic activities. So I urge the people to wear masks and go for vaccination which will start soon,” Mr Shah said.

He said that registration of over 65-year-old people for vaccination was going on and the people should get their parents registered.

“We will receive 17 million doses of the vaccine by the end of June and it will play a major role in creating herd immunity,” Mr Shah said.

An official of the National Institute of Health (NIH), requesting anonymity, said that Covax, an international alliance, had pledged to provide free vaccine for 20 per cent people of Pakistan. It would provide most of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines, but unfortunately a campaign had been started against it as the vaccine was being manufactured in India, he said.

“Some of the elements have been deliberately sharing material with media persons that Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine has failed across the globe. On the other hand, the media has been highlighting it without realising that it can put a negative impact on Pakistan. I believe that there should be no politics on health issues,” he said.

A senior official who attends daily meetings of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), requesting anonymity, said that the delivery of the vaccine might be delayed by two weeks.

“During briefing on Tuesday it was informed that the delivery of the vaccine may be delayed due to which the vaccination may start by the end of the second week of March or may be a little later. However, it was also informed that efforts were being made to get the vaccine from Covax at the earliest,” he said.

“Covax has started supply of the vaccine and it has been provided to two small countries of Africa. It (vaccine) will be provided to a few more countries and then Pakistan will get the vaccine. In fact the director general of NHS has received a letter in which Covax has informed that syringes will be sent in the second week of March and then the vaccine will arrive,” he said.

The NCOC data showed that as many as 1,163 cases and 42 deaths were reported on Tuesday. The number of active cases was 22,184 and 1,973 patients were admitted to health facilities across the country.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2021