Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said that Pakistanis travelling abroad will get the Moderna vaccine as some countries are not accepting Chinese vaccines.

Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), appreciated the “progressive policy” of US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on COVID-19.

“Received 2.5 million doses of Moderna by the US govt. This will particularly those who have to travel for work or study to countries which are only accepting certain vaccines,” the federal minister tweeted.

Moderna vaccine is now the third non-Chinese vaccine made available in Pakistan and is the first shipment of the two-dose Moderna vaccines that the county has received.

Earlier, the UK-made AstraZeneca and US-made Pfizer were being inoculated in the country alongside China’s Sinopharm, Sinovac and Cansino vaccines.

The vaccine will also be used for those looking to travel abroad at places where Chinese vaccines are not yet accepted.

Expats have been staging protests across the country to get the vaccines approved by European and Gulf countries as these are mandatory before travel and shortage of these vaccines have created problems for the government.

US donates 2.5 million doses of Moderna vaccine

On Friday, Pakistan received 2.5 million doses of Moderna vaccines donated by the US under the COVAX programme.

According to a US Embassy statement, this donation is part of the 80 million doses the United States is sharing with the world, delivering on its pledge to facilitate equitable global access to safe and effective vaccines, which are essential to ending the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The United States Mission to Pakistan is pleased to share these safe and effective vaccines with the people of Pakistan,” US Embassy Chargé d’affaires Angela P Aggeler stated.