Pakistan administers 100 million vaccine doses

DPA Islamabad Pakistan has administered 100 million Covid-19 vaccine doses since its immunization drive began in February, a milestone that comes amid sign...

DPAIslamabadPakistan has administered 100 million Covid-19 vaccine doses since its immunization drive began in February, a milestone that comes amid signs the country’s fourth wave is slowing.The South Asian country administered 100 million doses in eight months, according to the Health Ministry on Saturday. More than 37 million people in the country of 220 million are fully vaccinated. “I want to thank everyone who has made it possible ... but we have more to vaccinate,” special assistant to the prime minister on health services, Faisal Sultan, said.The government set the target of vaccinating 80 million people by the end of this year. Pakistan’s vaccination drive has been hit by hesitancy, often induced by vaccine disinformation, and supply issues, among other reasons.According to a Gallup Pakistan survey in January, 49 per cent of respondents said they would opt out of the jab, as they considered the coronavirus threat to be exaggerated.The vaccination campaign picked up pace after authorities imposed tough restrictions, with unvaccinated people being barred from domestic flights, trains, malls and restaurants.A fourth wave of cases began in July but a persistent downward trend has brought the national positivity rate of infections among test performed to 1.4 per cent. There were 552 new cases and 15 related deaths were reported in the past day.Pakistan has so far recorded 1,267,945 cases and 28,359 deaths.