Linking of documentation boosts vaccination in KP
The Covid-19 vaccination drive is picking up in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the government’s decision of linking it with admission in educational institutions and land registration and transfer documents, Dawn reported.
Prof Khalid Mahmood at Lady Reading Hospital said that all the vaccines currently used had efficacy in the range of 79 to 96 per cent in preventing the infectious disease.
Dr Mohammad Zubair Bhatti at the hospital said: “We have been receiving more people for vaccination because we cannot issue OPD slip to patients without being immunised against Covid-19.”
He said that people also realised that it was the only way to stay safe from coronavirus, which killed 5,686 people and infected 176,886 persons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “We have inoculated 100,000 persons so far but no long-term reaction, except mild fever, skin rashes and pain, has been recorded. It shows that the vaccines are safe,” he added.
Dr Bhatti said that about 40 per cent people got vaccinated themselves while 60 per cent were coming due to linkage of immunisation with documentation at official level and attendance in educational institutions.
Health officials said that the target population for vaccination increased to 30.50 million from 19 million after inclusion of children above 12 years in the campaign. “Vaccination will continue till coverage of the target population because the virus can stay around for at least one year. Efforts regarding vaccination would continue till the announcement of World Health Organisation that pandemic is over,” they said. —