ISLAMABAD: The administration of the National Institute of Health (NIH) has decided to keep Covid-19 vaccination centres open after Iftar until midnight. The centres will also remain open during mornings six days a week apart from Sunday.

Meanwhile, nine people were diagnosed with Covid-19 in Rawalpindi and Islamabad districts on Tuesday. The positivity ratio in Rawalpindi was recorded at 0.4pc.

Moreover, 80pc of Pakistan’s population above the age of 12 has been fully vaccinated. Vaccination centres will remain open during mornings from 10am till 3pm five days a week (Monday to Thursday) and on Saturday. The timings on Friday will be from 10am to 1pm.

NHS Director General Dr Rana Safdar, while talking to Dawn, said religious scholars have endorsed vaccination while a person fasts across the globe.

“Maintaining immunity is imperative to stay protected against Covid-19. The ministry requests all eligible Pakistanis to ensure that they have received full course of vaccine including a booster after six months of primary vaccination.”

The NIH data shows that 241,387,373 doses of the vaccine have been administered across the country. As many as 133,101,120 people have received at least the first dose, out of which 118,442,490 persons have become fully vaccinated and 6,329,739 people have received booster shots across the country.

A member of the Scientific Task Force on Covid-19 Dr Javed Akram, while talking to Dawn, said: “With the passage of time, awareness has been increased but still a large number of people believe that they should not get vaccinated while fasting.”

Dr Akram, who is also vice chancellor of the University of Health Sciences, said that in this regard religious verdicts (Fatwa) have been taken from Jamia Ashrafia Lahore and Al Azhar university Cairo so that people would get inoculated without any hesitation.

“According to Fatwas, people can have intramuscular vaccines and they can also have insulin around 25 minutes before breaking the fast.

“Islam is a religion which has created easiness for people but unfortunately people are stubborn and create difficulties. Unfortunately, diabetic people have sweet drinks, dates and a number of items at Iftar so their sugar level suddenly shoots. It is suggested that they should inject insulin because it starts lowering sugar level after 45 minutes,” he said.

Dr Akram praised the decision of opening the vaccination centres after Isha prayer till midnight.

Furthermore, officials of the capital administration said 855 tests were conducted in the capital. They further said that one case each was reported in the age group of 0-9, 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 and 50-59.

In Rawalpindi district, 615 samples were collected out of which 612 were declared negative. Currently, there are 26 active patients while one patient is in the hospital and 25 are home isolated.

Munawer Azeem also contributed to the story

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2022