Pak launches COVID-19 vaccination drive

Islamabad: Pakistan on Tuesday launched its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, with a doctor here becoming the first person in the country to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

Prime Minister Imran Khan oversaw the start of the campaign.

Khan said the vaccine would be distributed evenly among all provinces.

Healthcare workers would be given the vaccine first as they are exposed to maximum risk, Khan said. He lauded the efforts of his team to procure the vaccine.

Khan also thanked China for donating 500,000 doses of its Sinopharm.

Pakistan recorded the lowest number of daily COVID-19 cases in three months as it launched vaccination in the country.

The Ministry of National Health Services on Tuesday reported 1,220 new cases during the last 24 hours, the lowest since November 2, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 547,648.

Pakistan on Monday received the first batch of 500,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine donated by its closest ally, China.

All education institutions in Pakistan, from nursery to university level, were reopened on Monday following an over two-month closure due to a second wave of the pandemic.