In response to fears of the Omicron form, Pakistan’s government is ramping up COVID-19 vaccination efforts and broadening the requirements for vaccine booster doses, according to officials.
The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), which is in charge of the country’s COVID-19 response efforts, convened a meeting in the capital Islamabad on Wednesday to evaluate tactics to stop the virus from spreading.
According to a statement released following the meeting, authorities will establish 40 call centres to follow up with residents who have missed their second dosage of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Healthcare personnel and citizens over the age of 50, as well as those who are immunocompromised, will receive booster doses.
Omicron, which was originally recognised as a variety of concern by the World Health Organization on Friday, has yet to be detected in Pakistan.
The South Asian country reported 377 new instances of the coronavirus on Wednesday, with eight deaths, bringing the country’s total death toll to 28,745, since the pandemic began.
In August, Pakistan had its fourth wave of the virus, and daily cases have been around all-time lows in recent weeks.
According to government figures, more than 50.7 million Pakistanis out of a population of 220 million have been fully vaccinated, despite the fact that a considerable number of others have only taken one shot.
Botswana, Eswatini, Hong Kong, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and South Africa were among seven nations or territories where Omicron was found last week, according to the NCOC.
