NCOC Head Calls For Speeding Up COVID-19 Vaccination Process

ISLAMABAD: Asad Umar, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, recently urged the district administrations of Karachi, Hyderabad, Nowshera, Faisalabad and Quetta to expedite vaccination efforts to protect the country from a possible fifth wave and consequent lockdown.

“We have to meet vaccination goals set to ensure there is no 5th wave of Covid. Otherwise despite we remain susceptible despite the decline in cases. Remember that the 2nd dose is crucial for safety against Covid. Get fully vaccinated,” the minister tweeted.

“Best immunisation progress: Gilgit, Islamabad, Mirpur, Peshawar. Good progress: Charsadda, Skardu, Sargodha. Those needing improvement: Karachi, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Nowshera, Mardan, Quetta, Mingora. District health teams in these cities need to improve execution,” he elaborated in a second tweet, calling out those districts which need to do better.

Mr Umar, also the head of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), encouraged citizens to get their second dose as soon as possible, as it was critical for protection against the pandemic.

98,607,708 doses of vaccine have been administered across the country. 67,580,193 people have gotten at least one amount, and 37,468,751 people have been fully immunised against COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a call to protect healthcare workers from Covid-19 and other health issues. They are concerned about the increased number of healthcare professionals suffering from burnout, stress, anxiety and fatigue, not to mention those who lost their lives to the pandemic. In a statement, they called on all regions to monitor Covid-19 infections, health issues, and deaths among healthcare workers more efficiently.