COVID-19 vaccination stopped after chaos at Islamabad's centre

ISLAMABAD: The vaccination process was stopped following strife at Islamabad’s F9 Park centre after the alleged shortage of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, ARY News reported on Monday.

The citizens who came to jet COVID-19 jabs started protesting against the health officials for allegedly asking them to return home due to the non-availability of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The protestors have also blamed the administration of the mass vaccination centre for not administering the COVID-19 vaccine. They added that doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are not available at the mega centre.

The contingent of police forces and assistant commission rushed to the vaccination centre amid the tense situation after the administration called them to come in for controlling the situation.

Read: Covid-19 vaccine batch to Pakistan from COVAX deferred till July

Earlier in the day, COVID-19 vaccination centres have reopened across Punjab after the supply of COVID-19 vaccines from China.

According to the deputy commissioner (DC) Lahore, the vaccination centres in the city are opened today, where the citizens will receive doses of Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines.

The citizens who are willing to get the AstraZeneca vaccine have been asked to wait. “Upon availability, they will be informed,” the DC said.

It is to be noted that Punjab and Sindh were facing a shortage of vaccines and the centres in Lahore and Karachi remained closed on Sunday.