PM Imran vaccinated against COVID

Prime Minister Imran Khan got anti-Covid vaccine shots in Islamabad today (Thursday).

Speaking on the occasion, he urged the nation to ensure implementation of SOPs to prevent spread of coronavirus pandemic.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Sindh to engage private hospitals, labs for mass Covid vaccination

Sindh Cabinet has accorded approval to engage private hospitals and labs for mass Covid-19 vaccination across the province.

The cabinet meeting, held in Karachi on Tuesday with Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in the chair, was informed that the Provincial Health Department has so far received a total of two hundred forty-one thousand doses of vaccine.

It was further informed that one hundred and thirty thousand healthcare workers have been given jab against the coronavirus.

The Cabinet directed the Health Commission to monitor the quality and price of the vaccine in the province.

The cabinet also accorded approval to 300 million rupees aid grant to the Aman Healthcare Services.

Source: Radio Pakistan

KP CM appeals people to strictly follow SOPs to halt spread of coronavirus

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has appealed to the general public to strictly follow Standard Operating Procedures issued by the government in order to contain the spread of coronavirus.

In a statement, he has also urged upon the business community to cooperate with government and administration with regard to the implementation of Corona SoPs in markets and other business points.

The chief minister termed the current wave of Covid-19 as of more serious nature and said that the government is taking all necessary measures to prevent its further spread.

He also appealed the general public to cooperate with the administration.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Germany, Italy, France suspend AstraZeneca shots amid safety fears, disrupting EU vaccinations

The World Health Organization says an advisory committee meeting will be held today to decide whether the AstraZeneca vaccine contributed to the medical complications in deaths of those inoculated.

This comes after Germany, France and Italy have announced to suspend use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines after several countries reported possible serious side-effects.

Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Bulgaria and Ireland have already stopped giving the shot after reporting isolated cases of bleeding, blood clots and a low platelet count.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Yasmin asks people to strictly follow social distancing, anti-corona SOPs

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid asked the people to strictly follow social distancing, anti Corona SOP’s and stay at home guidelines.

Talking to newsmen in Faisalabad Medical University today, she expressed her concern over the rising number of corona cases. She said citizens should follow precautionary measures as their cooperation is compulsory to overcome the pandemic.

Health Minister said entire world has appreciated Pakistan’s effort to control pandemic during first and second wave.

She said the government is trying to provide maximum facilities to patients.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Punjab Enforces Smart Lockdown in 7 Districts Due to Surge in COVID-19 Cases

The Government of Punjab has reimposed a two-week-long smart lockdown in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Gujranwala, and Sargodha due to the surge in coronavirus infections that are also being attributed to the transmission of the UK variant of the virus. The provincial Chief Minister (CM), Sardar Usman Buzdar, said,

According to the advice of health experts, starting from Saturday night, we have decided to implement strict coronavirus SOPs in districts with over five percent positivity rate for the next 15 days. Educational institutions, parks, indoor ceremonies, and mazars will remain closed for 15 days.

CM Buzdar declared that marketplaces in the districts with the highest positivity ratios of coronavirus cases will close at 6 PM and will be completely closed on the weekends.

This excludes medical services and pharmacies, bakeries general/karyana stores, milk/meat/chicken shops, tire repair workshops, greengrocers, tandoors/atta chakkies, postal services, driver hotels, petrol pumps, oil depots, LPG outlets and filing plants, agriculture machinery workshops and spare parts shops, printing presses, and call centers.

Besides these announcements, the Punjab Health Department has issued a notification that reads:

The positivity rate in some cities is constantly rising and the third wave is looming, which poses a serious and imminent threat to public health.

According to the notification, wedding halls will stay closed in the seven districts and outdoor functions will only be permitted with a maximum of 300 guests. Similarly, a complete ban has been placed on indoor and outdoor dining in these districts but takeaway and home delivery are allowed.

All the citizens of Punjab are directed to follow the SOPs and use face masks in public spaces.

Source: Pro Pakistani