The Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health (SAPM), Dr. Faisal Sultan has said that the COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be available in Pakistan by February or March 2021. Dr. Faisal revealed that the federal cabinet has allocated funds for the procurement of the vaccine. The frontline healthcare workers will be the first priority followed by the elderly population.
Health minister of India’s Haryana state has tested positive for COVID-19, days after he volunteered himself to received locally developed vaccine against the virus in the human phase trials. The BJP minister, Anil Vij announced about his infection on Twitter. India media reports says Vij took vaccine shot of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin less than two weeks ago. The India-made vaccine
United Arab Emirates-based Pakistani doctor, who contracted the coronavirus while treating blue collar workers at a small clinic in Abu Dhabi and died of COVID-19 on May 15, was recognized as a martyr and national hero by the Gulf state. Dr. Usman, who belonged to Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, worked for a private health care group for 11 years but lost his job in 2019.
The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has recommended closing down cinemas, theaters and shrines across the country as coronavirus cases continue to rise. The NCOC also suggested early and extended winter vacations in schools and colleges to reduce the disease spread and ensure the safety of students. For restaurants, only take-away and outdoor dining to be allowed till 10 pm.
As coronavirus cases surge in India, the country has now become the second worst hit with the pandemic, displacing Brazil on Monday. With its nationwide tally of 4.2 million exceeded only by the US figure of 6.2 million, India is adding more cases each day than any other country this year since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Airlines are looking for new revenue streams as they burn through cash while fleets are largely grounded and people stay at home due to the worst ever global crisis. A recovery is expected to take years and cost carriers billions of dollars more. Here’s a look at what airlines are peddling as they try to make up for the hit from Covid-19.
Eighty percent of Pakistanis say the coronavirus pandemic is now under control and taking precautions is unnecessary, according to a survey by the pollster Gallup Pakistan. Since numbers have slowed down considerably since June, “70% Pakistanis now consider the threat from coronavirus to be exaggerated.” The survey said 6 in 10 Pakistanis said COVID-19 was a laboratory-made virus.
The United States (US) has donated 100 ventilators in order to facilitate Pakistan to support its fight against Covid-19. The ventilators arrived in Karachi on July 2 and will be distributed in hospitals across the country. Made in America, the ventilators are valued at at least $3 million and reflect the latest in cutting-edge medical design and technology.
All-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has tested negative for Covid-19, a day after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said he along with seven other players have contracted the disease. In a Tweet, Hafeez clarified that a subsequent examination at a private laboratory in Lahore had cleared him. He added that his family had also tested negative and attached a picture of his medical report.
After 26 Pakistani passengers in an Emirates flight were found Coronavirus positive in Hong Kong, the UAE-based airline announced in a statement that it has suspended passenger services from Pakistan. The flight will be temporarily suspended from June 24. Emirates will keep on continuing its cargo and repatriation flights to Pakistan as per the announced schedule.