Vaccination for Pakistanis above 17 years starts September 1: minister

People across the country of or above the age of 17 years can get immunised against the novel coronavirus from September 1, NCOC chief Asad Umar announced Tuesday.

“It is mandatory for students to get the first dose of the vaccine by September 15,” he said in a media briefing. By October 15, students should be fully vaccinated.

Unvaccinated students won’t be allowed inside campuses.

The government has made it mandatory for staff at schools and people working in the transportation of students to get fully vaccinated by September 30.

SAPM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan revealed that immunisation for students above 15 years will soon be opened too.

Have decided in NCOC meeting today to lower the eligible age for covid vaccination to 15 years and older. Starting September 1, vaccination of 17 years old will start. For 15 and 16 years old start date will be announced later.

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) August 24, 2021

Here are the other restrictions announced by the National Command and Operation Centre:

• Only fully vaccinated people will be allowed to board on both international and domestic flights from September 30.
• Unvaccinated people visiting and working at malls, hotels, restaurants, and guest houses won’t be allowed inside after September 30.
• Unvaccinated people will be barred from using public transport after October 15.
• Only fully vaccinated people will be allowed on motorways and highways after October 31.

Umar said the government has imposed these restrictions to ensure the safety and health of all Pakistanis. “Just because of a few people we can’t risk the lives of everyone.”

People who have been vaccinated in a foreign country, on the other hand, can get a Covid-19 vaccination certificate from NADRA from August 26.

Dr Sultan added that the government is cracking down on people involved in issuing fake immunisation certificates. Cases against culprits will be registered by the police and the Federal Investigation Agency.

Vaccination for immunocompromised people

From September 1, vaccination for immunocompromised people, above the age of 12 years, will commence.

The vaccination for this category will be conducted at special centres. A special vaccine will be administered to people with weak immune systems.

Vaccination for travellers

The government has introduced a third category of vaccines too. People who require a particular vaccine to travel abroad will be immunised from September 1 too.

There will be two conditions for this:
>Visa and vaccine requirement of the country they are travelling to
>A sum of money will be charged from these people.

Booster shots for health workers

“The government is mulling on registering booster shots to health workers who have completed the six-month cycle of their first and second dose,” the special assistant said.

If this is approved, the vaccination will begin from October 1.

A similar suggestion has been made for immunocompromised people as well.