ISLAMABAD, JUN 08 (DNA) – National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has issued new guidelines for the Pfizer vaccine and announced that the Pfizer vaccine can be vaccinated to 18 and above.

The NCOC said Pfizer vaccine is available in limited stock in Pakistan and it will be administered to outgoing pilgrims for Hajj, people want to travel for study and work visas.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Faisal Sultan said that vaccines would only be administered to people with weak immunity.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Dr Faisal said that 51,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines are being distributed. Punjab province would receive most of the doses-26,000- followed by 12,000 and 8,000 doses of the vaccine to be provided to Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces, the SAPM shared.

Dr Faisal said that the Balochistan province would receive 2,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. “Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir will get 1,000 doses,” he said adding that Pfizer would be administered in 15 cities of the country due to the presence of ultracold chain refrigerators.

Moreover, the National Ministry of Health has issued guidelines for use of Pfizer vaccine in the country that is among the last vaccines allowed by DRAP for use to tackle COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the guidelines, the vaccine would be kept in minus 60 to 80 degrees centigrade and any contact with light should be avoided. However, it could be placed at room temperature after six hours of its preparation.

The guidelines further read that one bottle of the Pfizer vaccine would carry six doses and its second dose would be administered after 21 days. The vaccine would be transported in thermal shipping containers in order to maintain a specific temperature besides being stored in ultra-cold chain freezers.

“The temperature of the cold storage unit would be recorded daily and a special kit would also be supplied along with the vaccine,” it said.The guidelines read that vial of the Pfizer vaccine should not be opened before use. = DNA

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