People urged to adhere to SOPs to help govt win war against Covid-19.

Byline: Ikram Junaidi

ISLAMABAD -- The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has asked the people to strictly adhere to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure that the war against Covid-19 pandemic, which has almost been won, is not lost in the ultimate analysis.

It said that efforts were being made to get vaccines from Covax at the earliest.

NHS spokesperson Sajid Shah told Dawn on Tuesday that the people should not pay heed to rumours about Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as no side effects of the vaccine had been observed in the country.

'Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is an effective vaccine, but unfortunately rumours are being spread to make the vaccine controversial. PeoAple should visit the website of the Ministry of NHS and www.covid.gov.pk to get the accurate information. The fact is that the World Health Organisation has also stated that the vaccine, being used in Pakistan, is safe,' the spokesperson said.

Mr Shah said the virus was present in Pakistan and it could bounce back if the people stopped following the SOPs. He urged the civil society to play its role and create awareness among the masses that the vaccine was in their best interest and it would help create herd immunity if enough people were vaccinated.

'Pakistan cannot afford resurgence of the virus as we will have to impose restrictions and this will choke all economic activities. So I urge the people to wear masks and go for vaccination which will start soon,' Mr Shah said.

He said that registration of over 65-year-old people for vaccination was going on and the people should get their parents registered.

'We will receive 17 million doses of the vaccine by the end of June and it will play a major role in creating herd immunity,' Mr Shah said.

An official of the National Institute of Health (NIH), requesting anonymity, said that Covax, an international alliance, had pledged to provide free vaccine for 20 per cent people of Pakistan. It would provide most of the Oxford...