Pakistan opens Covid-19 vaccination to all adults to boost rates

Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar announced on Twitter that the registration of those ages 19 and above will begin from Thursday.

Police officers register to receive their first shot of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine, at a vaccination center in the police headquarters, in Peshawar. (Photo | AP) 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is offering jabs to its entire adult population in hopes of boosting COVID-19 vaccination rates, with only 5 per cent of the population inoculated so far.

Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar announced on Twitter that the registration of those ages 19 and above will begin from Thursday.

So far, the vaccination was open to those 30 years and above.

Pakistan has reported a steady decline in infections and fatalities from COVID-19 in recent days, but the vaccination response has been sluggish.

The only shots given are three Chinese-made vaccines.

Pakistan has registered 908,576 confirmed cases and 20,465 deaths since last year.

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