Moderna’s two-dose COVID-19 vaccine is now available for the general public all over the country, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) has announced.
The development comes amidst a steep rise in COVID-19 cases across the country, especially in Sindh and Punjab. On the other hand, Coronavirus vaccination is progressing steadily as well, with more than 30 million doses administered so far.
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In an official statement, NCOC said that Moderna’s vaccine was earlier restricted to immunocompromised individuals and foreign travelers but will now be available for all.
Last month, two batches consisting of 3 million and 2.5 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine reached Pakistan from the US. The doses were a part of the 80 million doses the US had pledged to provide to countries all over the world to end the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The two doses of Moderna’s vaccine are administered 2 weeks apart. Its efficacy is 50.8% after the initial dose and 92.1% after the booster dose. Two weeks after the second dose, the vaccine becomes 94.1% effective at preventing COVID-19.
It needs to be stored in a freezer between -50C and -15C during transportation. During the transfer, the vaccine must be stored in the original carton and protected from light. Unpunctured vials of Moderna’s vaccine may be stored in the refrigerator between 2C and 8C for up to 30 days while punctured vials may be stored between 2C and 25C for up to 12 hours.