Vaccination must for travel in Pakistan
PAKISTAN’S top body overseeing the pandemic response recommended last Friday (9) that anyone who did not hold a Covid-19 vaccination certificate should not be allowed to travel by air after August 1.
The guidance by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) would need the federal government’s approval, and came as the country’s leadership warned a fourth wave of the pandemic was beginning and dangerous variants of the virus, including the delta variant, had been detected.
New guidelines to curb the virus spread ahead of the Eid-ulAdha holiday later this month would be announced soon, the NCOC said.
Students over 18 years would be required to get the vaccine by August 31 as well, and booking hotels and travel for tourists inside the country would also now require proof of vaccination.
“Two weeks back I had tweeted that our artificial intelligence models are showing possible emergence of 4th wave,” Asad Umar, the minister incharge of supervising anti-Covid-19 operations, said on Twitter on Friday. “Now there are clear early signs of 4th wave starting.”
The NCOC has said the delta, beta, and alpha variants have been detected in Pakistan since May.
Prime minister Imran Khan said last Thursday (8) that new measures would be taken in response to the appearance of the delta variant.
“After a decline, cases are rising again and we are concerned that Indian variant cases are being reported in Pakistan as well,” Khan said in a televised national address. He ruled out a strict nationwide lockdown, but asked the public to follow social distancing guidelines, wear masks, and get vaccinated.