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There are two sides in Pakistan during the ongoing coronavirus vaccine campaign. One is willing to use all means and resources necessary to get their hands on the vaccine, while others are even hesitant to receive the jab over their myriad views.
The culture of entitlement is widely prevalent in our society and hs seen during the vaccine drive. There were reports that several vaccine doses had either gone ‘missing’, spoiled or were being given to unauthorized persons. It also emerged that several politicians and celebrities received these doses out of turn and even brazenly posted pictures on social media before being admonished.
A large number of people are turning up in droves to receive the jabs. The government has now opened registration for citizens over 50 years of age but it remains sluggish. After the private sector was allowed to sell the vaccine for all age groups, we witnessed large queues and the vaccines was sold out or booked within days mostly by the elite class. The Russian Sputnik V vaccine was available at a costly price of Rs12,368 but this did not stop the wealthy to access privileged healthcare treatment.
On the other side are those hesitant to receive the vaccines. These even includes healthcare workers who are now being threatened with termination. Pakistan has been reporting over 4,000 cases per day since the past ten days and the number of active cases has crossed 61,000. Now an American newswire issued a damning report claiming it would take Pakistan a decade to inoculate 75% of its population. Pakistan has inoculated over a million people which is just a fraction as compared to other countries.
The government has been making efforts to procure more vaccines. It has started vaccinating senior citizens and instructed others to avail walk-in facilities. The health aide Dr Faisal Sultan claimed it would take a year to vaccinate 75% of the population although this seems rather preposterous. There is a high level of virus deniers, sceptics and anti-vaxxers in the country who are the biggest obstacle in the vaccine campaign. We are still unable to eliminate polio whose drops are given to children. Adult vaccination is even more problematic and it would take years to vaccinate the population. The stark contrast in society is being witnessed in the vaccination drive which could continue for years under the current circumstances.
