Covid-19: Pakistan allows booster shots for citizens over 18

Pakistan has decided to allow booster shots for children aged over 18 as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus brings on the fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic across the country.

In a tweet on Friday, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said that the age limit has been reduced and from Saturday (tomorrow) citizens over 18 years will be eligible for a free booster dose of their choice.

"Booster (one dose) will be administered after 6 months gap from complete vaccination," NCOC said.

Moreover, 50% of children aged above 12 have been fully vaccinated so far, announced Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan on Friday.

"Let us not stop here. More to do...Let us also not forget that with cases surging all over the country, we must wear masks, esp indoors," Dr Sultan tweeted.

Pakistan's coronavirus positivity shoots to 7.36%, daily cases jump to over 3,500

Additionally, the NCOC said that 786,835 doses were administered during the last 24 hours, taking the total number of doses to 166,083,807.

"33% of total population and 50% of eligible population stand vaccinated!" NCOC tweeted.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that any decision regarding closing educational institutions will be taken in consultation with the NCOC.

"We are very closely watching our hospitalisations, critical care admissions and deaths but there has been no increase in them," the CM said on Friday.

The chief minister added that cases were still rising in the country, with Karachi reporting its highest-ever coronavirus cases at 2,081.

Earlier, the Sindh Health Department decided to make face masks compulsory for all citizens in Karachi in view of the rapidly increasing cases of Omicron variant of the Covid-19.

A meeting chaired by Provincial Health Minister Azra Pechuho also decided to seal shopping malls and schools if unvaccinated persons are found in the premises. The meeting also decided to launch a special corona vaccination campaign for 14 days.

Wearing face masks made compulsory in Karachi

The vaccination teams would visit door to door to inoculate women at their homes, health minister said. The session also decided immediate vaccination of the children present in schools.