Anti-Covid vaccination drive for children launched in Sindh

KARACHI: The anti-Covid vaccination drive for children aged 5-11 has been launched across Sindh by the provincial health minister Dr Azra Pechuho, ARY News reported on Monday.

The door-to-door anti-Covid vaccination drive for children was launched in a ceremony held at the Sindh Health Department’s office which was also attended by the high-level officials of the provincial health department and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

During the ongoing drive, 2.4 million children aged between 5 and 11 will be inoculated at their homes, and at private and government educational institutions in Karachi and Hyderabad. The inoculation campaign will be completed in phases while the first phase will be continued till September 24.

The health secretary Zulfiqar Shah said that school-going children will be vaccinated to prevent them from contracting COVID-19. As compared to other parts of the country, the highest number of vaccines were administered in Sindh.

Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho said that the authorities targeted the school-going children in the ongoing vaccination campaign to stop the spread of coronavirus amongst kids.

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She said that some parents had expressed reservations over the COVID-19 vaccines. “We are spreading awareness regarding the vaccination of children who are visiting clinics through PPA [Pakistan Pharmacists Association].”

“Paediatric doses [of COVID-19 vaccine] are less than the adults and insulin syringes will be used. Same vaccines will be used for children like adults but doses will be different.”

Regarding the dengue outbreak, Dr Azra Pechuho confirmed that 27 patients died due to the mosquito-borne disease and more than 4,000 cases have been reported so far. In Karachi, 323 beds have been allocated for dengue patients, she added.

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Earlier in the day, the paediatric Covid vaccination campaign was also launched in the federal capital Islamabad, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH).

According to the health authorities, the COVID-19 vaccination drive will continue till September 24 to inoculate children aged between 5 and 12 against COVID-19.

The NIH in its statement for the parents said that vaccination against COVID-19 helps children from being infected with the virus.

The entries of the COVID-19 vaccination are being made through the B-form of the children.