President, first lady get COVID jab; urges precautions to fight third wave

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi and First Lady Samina Alvi Monday got their anti-COVID vaccine here with the former urging the nation to take precautions to make the country sail through third wave of the pandemic.

The president and the first lady arrived the vaccination center at Tarlai after he received the intimation from 1166 registration service where he had registered themselves on February 15, this year.

Talking to media, the president said the elites across the world had been breaking the queue to get vaccinated but in Pakistan, the government had put in place an efficient mechanism for vaccination of the people on their turn.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan also accompanied the president and the first lady.

"I think the vaccine gives further protection but we will have to take precautions of wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing unless the world fully overcomes the pandemic. Allah knows till how long we will have to do this," he said.

Calling the COVID-19 a deadly disease, the president said it affected the elderly more than others and it could only be tackled through precautions.

The president said he found the system very easy and viewed that the mechanism of calling the people proactively had also avoided crowd at the centers, though the government had sufficient stock of the medicine available.

He said the vaccination was never meant to do away with the precautionary measures rather it was just meant to give further protection.

The president recalled that Imran Khan was the only leader who had resisted the call of blanket lockdown by all including experts, but he went for smart lockdown just to avert the hunger-related deaths. The idea was later endorsed globally by many others, he added.

He said the country kept the mosques opened and also observed Eid festivals with precautions, and recognized the sacrifices by the doctors.

"Pakistan's success is that... we fought the first wave, the second one and it is essential to fight the third wave too. The precaution is direly needed. Keep wearing mask. Pakistan will bring it under control," he hoped.