(Karachi) Prime Minister Imran Khan has given go-ahead for advance booking of COVID-19 vaccine, Health Secretary Nosheen Hamid revealed on Tuesday.

As per details, the health secretary, while talking in a programme on a local TV channel, stated that the premier has approved advance booking of coronavirus in wake of rapid rise in cases.

She said that the government has contacted two large pharmaceutical companies in this regard. Hamid maintained that Pakistan will soon pay for the vaccine.

In the first phase, she pointed out that the vaccine will be available to 10 million people. "Initially, the vaccine will be administered to health workers and people above 65 years of age," she said.

Earlier, the PM approved specific funding for the advance purchase of the Covid-19 vaccine. The Health Ministry said that Imran Khan has shown special interest in ensuring quality vaccines at the earliest and has approved specific funding in this regard. The ministry said the government has developed a Covid-19 vaccine strategy in response to global best practices.

As part of the strategy, the government has prioritised the groups most likely to be the initial recipients of a potential vaccine. It said an expert committee on the Covid-19 vaccine has been working on technical oversight and review of safety and efficacy data coming in from trials.