ISLAMABAD: The British High Commission in Pakistan today (Sunday) announced that 17 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine would soon reach Pakistan.
In a statement, the British High Commission said, “The first consignment of seven million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will reach Pakistan before April.”
The statement further informed that next 10 million doses will be dispatched to Pakistan before June. “With the vaccine, more than 8 million people will receive protection from coronavirus,” it added.
Pakistan has secured 17 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine under the COVAX arrangement. “Pakistan will receive almost 45 million COVID-19 vaccine doses under the COVAX scheme this year,” according to the statement.
British High Commissioner Christian Turner, in this regard, said, “The people of the UK and Pakistan will fight alongside against the coronavirus. The United Kingdom has provided 20 million Pounds aid to Pakistan for its fight against the pandemic.”
The COVAX facility is an initiative by the World Health Organization to ensure the fair distribution of coronavirus vaccines around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the AstraZeneca vaccine ‘safe’ for people with 18 years of age to 65 years and above.
