An Overview of the Corona Vaccine

Highlights of the Post:
Cost of Corona Vaccine
First Phase of the Campaign
Approved Vaccines
Procedure
Side Effects

Tired of settling for the new normal? Do you want to go back to how it felt before the pandemic hit? Fret not, the time is finally here, not only has the Corona Vaccine been successfully developed, it has also reached the borders of Pakistan. The hope for returning to the “normal” world has reawakened. 

As the successful trials of the vaccine were announced to the world, Pakistani citizens were under the impression that the Coronavirus vaccine would reach them at the last, being a third world country.

However, due persistent efforts, the Government of Pakistan has managed to provide its citizens the vaccine earlier than it was anticipated. 

The vaccine came with a number of questions, one of the primary questions being “How to get the CoronaVirus  Vaccine”? The Pakistani government has broken down all the information and the procedures in eight simple steps, to efficiently handle the vaccination campaign.

The vaccine would improve our immunity system against the virus, however, we still need to take precautions and protect ourselves from catching the Coronavirus. 

In this blog we have highlighted these steps, and further mentioned the vaccines that are approved by the health care system of the country. Let’s begin! 

Cost of Receiving CoronaVirus Vaccine 

Prime Minister Imran Khan while launching the Covid-19 pandemic vaccination campaign said, “rich and poor will not matter”.

The prime minister is ensuring that all the classes in the society will equally have the chance to receive the vaccine. Owing to the unwavering efforts of the Pakistani government, the country has received these vaccines free of cost.  

The foreign ministry of Pakistan, has already received its first batch of the Sinopharm vaccine, developed in China. The batch contains five hundred thousand (500,000) corona vaccines.

Another source of the vaccine for the Pakistani citizens is the World Health Organisation (WHO), which will be providing 20% of Pakistani citizens with free vaccines. The organisation has claimed that Pakistan is eligible for free doses of vaccine due to its developing status.

Thank You Frontline Healthcare Workers!

The National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) has decided to reward the front line workers for all the work that they have put up during the pandemic. The health workers, therefore, will be receiving the vaccines free of cost.  

The NCOC opened registration for the vaccine, for the frontline workers since 10^th January, 2021. The first batch of the corona vaccine donated by China is currently being used to vaccinate the heroes that serve us.

Approved Vaccines

Owing to the World Health Organisation,  many different vaccines have been developed, however only three corona vaccines have been approved by the healthcare authorities of Pakistan. The three approved corona vaccine are:

• Sputnik V Vaccine – Russia
• Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine – United Kingdom
• Sinopharm Vaccine – China

How to get the CoronaVirus Vaccine?

The process of receiving the vaccine has been broken down into eight simple steps by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). This was developed to maintain a check on who is receiving the corona vaccine. 

Read ahead and find out about the complete procedure of obtaining the vaccine.

Step 1: Registration

In order to be able to receive the vaccine, you need to register yourself with the National Immunisation Management System (NIMS). 

You can either visit their online portal, or send a SMS with your CNIC number to 1166. 

Step 2: Details regarding your AVC

Once you have registered yourself with NIMS, they will verify your information. After verification, you will be given a PIN number and your designated Adult Vaccination Centre (AVC). Your AVC will be near to your present address.

Step 3: Change AVC

If for some reason, you wish to change your AVC. You can choose another vaccination centre, by either visiting the NIMS portal or calling 1166.

Additional Note: Changing of the AVC can only be done within the first 5 days of receiving the PIN number.

Step 4: Appointment

You will receive a notification through SMS, when the vaccination is made available at your AVC, and you can visit and receive the corona vaccine accordingly.

Step 5: Visit the Adult Vaccination Centre

Visit the AVC on the allotted time. Do remember to bring your CNIC and the given PIN number with you.

Step 6: Verification

It is the responsibility of the healthcare workers at your designated AVC to verify your CNIC and Pin number.

Step 7: Receive the Vaccination

Once your details have been verified, you will receive the vaccine. 

You will be monitored by the AVC for 30 minutes, afterwards.

Your details will also be added to the NIMS portal, and you will receive a confirmation message by NIMS.

Step 8: Data Sharing

The information uploaded on the NIMS portal will be shared with the district, provincial and federal health departments. With this information, a real time dashboard, similar to the one made at the start of the pandemic, will be updated, to inform the citizens of the vaccination campaign statistics.

Side Effects of The Vaccine

All three approved vaccines by the Pakistani healthcare authorities have some side effects, there are some common side effects that more than 1 in 10 individuals injected would feel, however, each vaccine has some different uncommon effects (effect up to 1 in 10 people) or rare side effects (effect up to 1 in 100 people).

In the next section we have separately highlighted common and distinct side effects, so that you can make an informed choice when receiving the vaccine. 

Common Side Effects

Here are the common side effects that are present in each of the three vaccines:

• Tiredness
• Headache
• Chills
• Joint pain
• Fever
• Cough
• Diarrhea
• Nausea

Uncommon or Rare Side Effects

While the common side effects of all three vaccines are similar, there are some uncommon or rare side effects present in each of the corona vaccines approved by the NCOC. 

However, the probability of these effects presenting themselves is pretty low. If you’re getting the vaccine anytime soon, here are some uncommon side effects you should be looking out for: 

Sputnik V Vaccine – Russia

The individual injected with the Sputnik Vaccine might present these effects

• Rashes
• Muscle weakness
• Breathing difficulties
• Encephalomyelitis (inflammation of brain and spinal cord)

Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine – United Kingdom

The uncommon to rare side effects of the AstraZeneca Vaccine are as follows:

• Dizziness
• Abdominal pain
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Excessive sweating

Sinopharm Vaccine – China

Some of the uncommon to rare side effects of the Sinopharm vaccine are listed below:

• Vomiting
• Nasal congestion
• Influenza
• Tremors
• High blood pressure
• Dysguesia (distortion of sense of taste)

The corona vaccine has reignited the hope of returning back to the normal world, however, it does not mean that we stop taking precautions. 

In this blog, we have shared with you the step-by-step procedure of getting vaccinated in Pakistan, along with names of the approved vaccines in Pakistan and their possible side effects.

To know more about the corona vaccine updates in Pakistan and the real estate industry, stay updated with JagahOnline Blogs, and follow us on Facebook as well.

Keep Social Distancing and Stay Safe!