Inevitable that Omicron variant will come to Pakistan, we have weeks to reduce its threat: Asad Umar

Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar warned on Monday that the latest concerning variant of the coronavirus, Omicron, will inevitably come to Pakistan and the country had only a few weeks to contain its threat. Addressing a press conference alongside Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, Umar stressed the need for citizens to get vaccinated and complete their doses.

“This [strain] has to spread in the whole world as we saw before that when a variant comes, the world is so interconnected that it is impossible to stop it,” the minister said, adding that vaccination was the most logical solution to curb the threat.

He said the initial information the government had received was that although Omicron was a “very dangerous” variant, vaccination will be effective against it.

“So it is my appeal to Pakistanis, particularly those who’ve gotten one dose to get the second dose because this is one effective thing we have to protect ourselves from the danger of this variant,” Umar said. He noted that a big vaccination campaign was being started in the provinces in the next 2-3 days, saying there was a need to speed it up further. “This variant will come to Pakistan, and we have next 2-3 weeks to reduce its threat.”

In view of the variant, Umar said additional measures were being taken such as increasing the number of daily tests — particularly in high-risk areas — which had previously been reduced as the positivity rate declined. He added that the contact-tracing system would be revived as well and emphasised the need to “rejuvenate” it with more resources and increased efficiency. Additionally, consultation will be completed by Tuesday on administering booster shots to the population most at risk from the coronavirus, he said. A day earlier, the Sindh health department had decided to inoculate all residents with a booster shot of Pfizer keeping in view the increased risk of transmission and reinfection posed by Omicron.