Pakistanis not keen on vaccine jabs

ISLAMABAD: Nearly half of Pakistanis do not want to get a Covid19 vaccine, according to a survey that came out as authorities announced a rollout plan from next week.

In the Gallup Pakistan survey, 49% of respondents said they would opt out of getting a vaccination shot, as they considered the coronavirus threat to be exaggerated.

Gallup shared the outcome yesterday as the Government announced nearly half a million health workers would start getting the first dose of the Sinopharm vaccine from next week.

Only 38% of Pakistanis surveyed said they would take the vaccine.

The survey reflects similar doubts that hinder the country’s fight against polio, which has been stamped out from the rest of the world, but is still prevalent in Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan.

More than half a million people have been infected by the pandemic in Pakistan so far, with about 11,000 deaths. — DPA