Pakistan to receive 15 mn COVID vaccines from China, COVAX in July: sources

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will receive major shipments of COVID vaccines from China and under the COVAX program during the ongoing month in a bid to boost its vaccination process, ARY NEWS reported on Tuesday quoting sources.

According to sources, the country would receive 15 million doses of various COVID vaccines during the ongoing month.

“Two million doses of COVID vaccine will reach at Islamabad airport today,” they said adding that Pakistan purchased these doses of Sinovac from a Chinese company.

They further said that Pakistan has already received 6.5 million doses of COVID jabs this month. “They included two million doses each of Sinopharm and Sinovac,” the sources said adding that Pakistan also received 2.5 million doses of Moderna under the COVAX program.

The sources further said that 100,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine purchased by Pakistan will also reach Islamabad in July while the country would also receive a consignment of Astra Zeneca vaccine under the Covax.

“The country will also receive raw material for Cansino vaccine from China which is currently being manufactured in Islamabad,” they said.

Earlier in the day, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said that over half a million doses of Covid-19 vaccines were administered in Pakistan in a single day.

“For the first time, we crossed half a million doses of vaccination yesterday. 5 lakh 25 thousand doses were administered yesterday,” Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), tweeted.

“Highest ever first dose was also achieved yesterday with 3 lakh 90 thousand first doses administered. The pace will increase further inshallah.”