Karachi: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has increased the gap between the two-dose Chinese SinoVac and Sinopharm vaccines.

Earlier, the gap between two doses of the Sinopharm vaccine was 21 days, while for the SinoVac it was 28 days. Now the gap for both the vaccines has been increased to six weeks. Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Health Dr Faisal Sultan has said that the change in the guidelines for the Chinese vaccines has been done to 'provide some flexibility in timing which will help in some situations'.

Sultan added that plenty of Sinovac doses were available in the country, while more were coming. However, a senior official of the health ministry told The News that shortage of vaccines was the main reason behind enhancing the gap between the doses.

Amid shortage, Sindh decides to close vaccination centres on Sunday

Last week, vaccination centres in Lahore and Karachi faced a shortage, causing Lahore authorities to close down at the Lahore Press Club and the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI).

Similarly, the Sindh government had closed all vaccination centres on Sunday due to the shortage.

Meanwhile, Pfizer Pakistan and BioNTech SE announced an agreement with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to supply 13 million doses of their coronavirus vaccine.

So far, over 13 million people have been vaccinated against the novel Covid-19 in Pakistan.