Tag: Oxford-AstraZeneca

With just a few hundred-thousands of vaccines in supply remaining, the Federal Government is worryingly optimistic that it will receive an expected three million CanSinoBIO doses in time.

28 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses manufactured by India under the WHO's COVAX programme have yet to leave the country due to India’s new export restrictions owing to a surge in national cases. For more stories on the pandemic situation, keep reading.

27,228 registered frontline healthcare workers across Pakistan inoculated against COVID-19 so far, with Sindh accounting for nearly 77% of the total number of vaccinated medical professionals. Meanwhile, NCOC releases video to help dispel suspicions among medics regarding side-effects of the vaccine. Keep reading for more updates on the pandemic.

Just 34 registered frontline healthcare workers in the Islamabad have been administered China;s Sinopharm vaccine in the past week as most medics have opted to wait to ascertain health outcomes of the drug. A study found that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine provided 'minimal protection' against the South African COVID-19 variant which affects about 90% percent of South Africans.

SAPM on Health warns Sinopharm vaccine unsuitable for people over 60, pregnant and lactating women, and people under 18. Based on population size, Pakistan becomes COVAX programme's second priority nation. Punjab government reserves 7,280 beds for COVID-19 patients, 12% of which are currently occupied.

COVAX confirms 17 million Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine doses for Pakistan in the first half of 2021, while 500,000 vials of Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine arrive in the country as a goodwill gesture from China. Islamabad sets up nine vaccination centers for the inoculation of some 17,000 registered frontline healthcare workers. Punjab issues new SOP as on-campus classes for primary, middle and university students resume today.

Research for CanSinoBIO vaccine has now entered the follow-up stage for which it has entered an agreement with the PITB to keep in contact with 18,000 volunteers. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar approves Rs. 50 million to purchase gene-sequencing technology. Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid announces that Punjab has completed its COVAX trials.

Gallup Pakistan survey involving 1,000 participants found that 49% of respondents preferred not to get vaccinated against the novel coronavirus disease. Federal Minister for Planning and NCOC head Asad Umar on Wednesday stated that Pakistan would begin vaccinating its frontline healthcare workers from next week. SAPM on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan stated that government-backed vaccines would be free for citizens.

DRAP approves Russia's Sputnik-V for emergency use, meanwhile provinces inform NCOC that staff at teaching hospitals, and district and tehsil headquarters hospitals are nearing completion of their COVID-19 vaccination training. Researchers at the Montreal Heart institute find that colchicine helps significantly reduce the risk of developing complications and dying from COVID-19. Moderna finds its vaccine can protect against the UK and South African coronavirus variants