Punjab to start door-to-door vaccination drive

LAHORE: In a move to meet vaccination targets, the government of Punjab has announced it will kick off its doorto-door coronavirus vaccination drive from October 25.

The campaign initiated by the Punjab government will last till November 12, as per a notification issued by the provincial government, adding that it will vaccinate people at their homes across its nine divisions and 36 districts.

The aim of the drive, as per the government's notification, is to ensure 100% of the targeted people are vaccinated. A focal person has also been appointed to ensure the campaign achieves its targets. The Punjab government has decided to vaccinate those who have not yet received the jab at their homes after reports indicated that a lot of people have not received the jab.

DCO Lahore Faisal Malik told media he has been instructed to ensure people who have not yet received the jab are vaccinated. He said legal action will be taken against those who refuse to get themselves vaccinated.

A day earlier, National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) chief Asad Umar had urged authorities in certain cities to improve their vaccination efforts. Taking to Twitter, Umar had commended the vaccination progress in Islamabad, Peshawar, Gilgit, Sargodha and other cities. The federal minister, however, underscored the need for improvement in the vaccination process in Karachi, Hyderabad, Nowshera, Faisalabad, Quetta, Mardan and other cities.

"To ensure there is no 5th wave of COVID-19, we have to meet vaccination targets set," he added. The federal minister for planning had said that despite a sharp decline in new COVID-19 cases, we will remain vulnerable if a large number of people remain unvaccinated.