Pakistan is going to start covid-19 vaccinations for people aged 30 from May 16.
Asad Umar, chief National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), announced this on Wednesday.
Umar clarified in a tweet that the government has agreed to open registrations for another age group because Pakistan’s vaccine availability is improving and the country’s vaccination capability is growing.
“Starting Sunday the 16th of May, registration will be open to all 30 years and older citizens,” he tweeted.
As vaccine supply continues to improve and vaccination capacity gets enhanced in all Federating units, we continue to expand the categories of those who are eligible to get vaccinated. Starting sunday the 16th of May, registration will be open to all 30 years and older citizens
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) May 12, 2021
Pakistan opened registration for the coronavirus vaccine for people aged 40 to 49 years old on May 3 throughout the country.
Vaccine enrollment for the age group has been ongoing since April 27, and walk-in vaccines for people aged 50 and over are still taking place across the country.
During Ramadan, vaccination centres are vaccinating people in two shifts, according to the NCOC.
The federal government has introduced a digital platform for registration, through which a code is assigned to the user, who can then go to a specified vaccination centre and get vaccinated.
Pakistan will begin offering walk-in vaccinations to people above the age of 40 on May 12th.
Umar has previously stated that a walk-in vaccine clinic for people over the age of 40 will be available beginning May 12.
“Starting tomorrow the 12th of May all 40 plus who have registered will be able to walk into any vaccination centre of their choice and get vaccinated,” the minister wrote on Twitter.
He also mentioned that vaccination centres would be open for the remainder of the week, with the exception of two days for Eid-ul-Fitr.
In a series of tweets, the minister also noted that the mortality incidence among people under the age of 40 has increased in Pakistan during the third phase of the coronavirus pandemic.
It was formerly 1%, but has now grown to 1.8 percent.
Furthermore, the minister emphasised the importance of focusing vaccination efforts on the most needy members of society.
He had mentioned that the probability of death from COVID-19 increases dramatically with age.
“In Pakistan, the case fatality rate based on cumulative data this strong linkage in our country also reason why we are opening vaccination based on age in descending order is due to finite availability of vaccines globally, as well as vaccination capacity in the country,” the minister had underscored.
He went on to say that, thanks to diligent measures, both vaccine supplies and vaccination capability are steadily growing.
