Pakistan to receive first batch of AstraZeneca vaccine before April

ISLAMABAD: British High Commission in Pakistan has stated that 17 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine would soon reach Pakistan, ARY News reported on Sunday.

“The first consignment of seven million doses of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine will reach Pakistan before April,” British High Commission in Islamabad said in a statement.

“Next 10 million doses of the vaccine will be dispatched to Pakistan before June,” according to the statement.

Pakistan has secured 17 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine under the COVAX arrangement.

The COVAX facility is an initiative by the World Health Organization to ensure fair distribution of the coronavirus vaccines around the world.

“AstraZeneca vaccine will benefit around 8.5 million Pakistani citizens”, British mission said.

“Pakistan will receive overall 45 million COVID-19 vaccine doses under the COVAX scheme this year,” according to the statement.

“The people of the UK and Pakistan will fight alongside against the coronavirus,” British High Commissioner Christian Turner has said.

“The United Kingdom has provided 20 million Pounds aid to Pakistan for its fight against the pandemic,” the envoy said.

The WHO has declared that AstraZeneca vaccine has been safe for the people with 18 years of age to 65 years and above.

It is to be mentioned here that a new trial is scheduled this month to test how well the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine works in children.