National average of anti-Covid vaccination has reached 48 percent: Umar

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that the national average of anti-Covid vaccination has reached 48 percent.

In a tweet on Thursday, the head of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said Punjab has become the first province to have vaccinated more than half of its eligible population with at least one dose.

"This is followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 48 percent, Sindh 40 percent and Balochistan 17 percent," he stated.

The minister added that the federal territories are leading in vaccination with Islamabad 87%, AJK (59%) and Gilgit Baltistan (54%).

So far, 108,277,233 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered across the country, the NCOC stated.

Today, at least 19 people died due to Covid-19 while 580 positive cases have been recorded, the NCOC said. The Covid positivity ratio in the country is 1.32 percent.

2.3m Covid vaccination jabs administered in a week: Umar

The NCOC had said that it has devised a comprehensive plan with the collaboration of the National Database and Registration Authority and district administrations to target tehsils that were lagging behind others in terms of vaccination.

The rate of daily coronavirus cases declined due to an increasing vaccination rate and strict health measures, including a ban on businesses and lockdowns in selected areas. The government closed schools and cinemas and imposed a ban on gatherings and dining at restaurants to counter the spread of the deadly disease.

Travel policy revised

Meanwhile, the NCOC on Wednesday lifted inbound travel restrictions for Category B countries including all high risk states other than Category C amid enforcement of obligatory vaccination for inbound travel.

The Forum opined that owing to mass vaccination undertaken by various countries, a downward trend was witnessed in all Covid indicators across the globe.

Category B countries: NCOC lifts inbound travel restrictions

It added that after enforcement of obligatory vaccination for inbound travel in Pakistan with effect from October 1, Covid-19 related travel policy and health/ testing protocols were revised.

The Forum decided that inbound air traffic would operate at full quantum with effect from November 10, 2021.