The Federal Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms & Special Initiatives, Asad Umar, has announced that Pakistan received 560,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from China yesterday (31 March), and that another consignment of 500,000 doses will arrive today (1 April), following which the number of doses received from China will cross the 2.5 million mark.
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The minister, who also heads the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), has urged the provinces to speed up the vaccination process to ensure that the available vaccines are fully utilized.
Recieved 5 lakh 60 thousand procured vaccines yesterday. Another 5 lakhs will arrive tonight. Reviewed the vaccine administration situation in NCOC today and asked the provinces to increase the pace of vaccination to fully utilize the vaccines which have been made available
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) April 1, 2021
Of the 560,000 doses that Pakistan received yesterday, 60,000 were of the single-dose Chinese vaccine, Convidecia, which will be administered to senior citizens above the age of 80 so that they do not have to visit the vaccination centers twice.
Pakistan will also receive the CanSino Biologics COVID-19 vaccine in bulk from China by mid-April.
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Meanwhile, the government has also started the registration process for the vaccination of people aged 50 and above.
