ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s health chief Dr. Faisal Sultan said on Monday a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections was ending in Pakistan but the country could face a fifth wave in winter if the pace of the nationwide vaccination drive did not pick up.
The statement comes as Pakistan reported less than 2,000 new coronavirus cases for the second consecutive day on Tuesday.
In the past 24 hours, 1,757 people tested positive and 41 died of the virus, according to the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), the country’s federal pandemic response body.
A woman receives the Sinopharm vaccine against the Covid-19 (coronavirus), in the first drive-through vaccination centre, in Lahore on late June 10, 2021. (AFP)
“According to the latest figures that we have it does seem that the fourth wave is gradually coming down in intensity,” Sultan, who is the prime minister’s aide on health, told Arab News in an interview.
“So yes, the fourth wave is coming down as far as the intensity is concerned, the number of [positive] cases and the percentage of positivity is concerned as well as the fill-up of the health system, which is the most crucial thing out of the things that we measure.”
Sultan, however, said Pakistan could experience a fifth wave of infections if the pace of vaccinations was not increased.
“Based on global information and data along with past experience of epidemic and how virus has behaved so far, it is possible that there may be additional rises in the number of cases in coming months but this is all conjuncture,” he said. “If we are able to ramp up vaccination in this present month and in October-November, we would be in a situation where we could safely say that even if there are future wavelets or increases, those would be well controlled”.
People stand in a queue as they wait to receive a dose of the Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine outside a mobile vaccination van in Karachi on August 4, 2021. (AFP)
The Pakistan health chief said the government aimed to vaccinate 100 percent of the eligible population in 20-25 major cities to protect the country from the pandemic. So far, around 17 percent of the eligible population (above 15 years of age) had been fully vaccinated, he added.
“We are better than where we were but we still have some ways to go. By the end of the year, we do feel that anywhere between 70 to 100 million people should be vaccinated,” Sultan said.
Speaking of restrictions on unvaccinated people, Sultan said they were necessary especially for activities that created the risk of disease spread.
“To tie in the vaccination percentage of a city or a zone with relaxations that would be provided would be a great incentive to ensure that administration and population of those areas take part in the vaccination to prevent unnecessary and painful restrictions,” he said.
“Our vaccination target is achievable and if we succeed in it then restrictions can be eased. I think next two months will be pivotal and crucial in getting us to the point where we can either actually get rid of the mask.”
Students wearing facemasks arrive at a school in Peshawar on September 16, 2021. (AFP)
On the impact of and strain caused by COVID-19 on other immunization drives and epidemics, the health chief said the country was preparing its public health response system to be able to cater to more than one challenge at a time.
“We were able to leverage and utilize what was existed but also strengthen the other side. For example, in polio, we have not had a single case for eight months now. So, today as far as polio is concerned, we stand in the best possible situation that we have had ever,” Sultan said.
Asked about the reliability of rapid PCR COVID-19 tests in Pakistan following complaints about results from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sultan said it was hard to get 100 percent accurate results.
“We had very direct engagement with the UAE on this matter. We had a very frank, open and very healthy discussion. We put forth our suggestions and thoughts and we heard from their end as well. We hope to bring this inaccuracy to minimum, like in fractions,” he said.
The health chief said Islamabad’s cooperation with Gulf countries had increased during the pandemic.
“There is a lot of respect and regard for Pakistani health professionals in all these countries and it will improve further,” Sultan said. “You will continue to find this old tradition of our health workers helping out in Gulf countries.”
