KARACHI: The government in Pakistan’s southeastern Sindh province has decided to make a booster dose of coronavirus vaccine compulsory for the fully vaccinate people after the discovery of the new Omicron strain of COVID-19, local media reported on Sunday.
The new, heavily mutated COVID-19 variant spread across the globe on Sunday, shutting borders and renewing curbs as the European Union chief said governments faced a “race against time” to understand the strain.
Indonesia announced similar entry restrictions on Sunday and Angola became the first southern African country to suspend all flights from its regional neighbors Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa.
The Omicron strain has cast doubt on global efforts to battle the pandemic because of fears that it is highly infectious, forcing countries to reimpose measures many had hoped were a thing of the past.
On Sunday, the Sindh health department announced that fully vaccinated individuals would be administered a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine to prevent the spread of the new virus strain, Urdu-language Jang newspaper reported.
“Booster jabs are currently being administered at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center and Dow University of Health Sciences Ojha Campus [in Karachi], but the scale of vaccination will be expanded across the province,” the report quoted Sindh Health Secretary Zulfiqar Ali Shah as saying.
No fee would be charged for the administration of the booster jab and the government was importing consignments of the vaccine for the purpose, the official said.
Shah requested fully vaccinated individuals to get the booster jab and advised those who were yet to get the basic vaccination to get themselves fully immunized against the virus.
The development came a day after Pakistan imposed a complete ban on travel from seven countries after the emergence of the Omicron strain in South Africa. These countries included South Africa, Hong Kong, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini and Botswana.
The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), the country’s central pandemic body, has asked aviation authorities to devise a mechanism for the screening of passengers traveling from these states through indirect flights.
It said Pakistani passengers would be allowed to travel after obtaining emergency exemptions and following certain requirements, including a vaccination certificate, negative PCR report and rapid antigen test on arrival.
Pakistan's Sindh makes booster dose compulsory after new COVID-19 variant discovery
https://arab.news/8qwyh
Pakistan's Sindh makes booster dose compulsory after new COVID-19 variant discovery
- Omicron strain spread across globe on Sunday shutting borders and renewing curbs
- The highly infectious strain has cast doubt on global efforts to battle the pandemic
PCB sets Feb. 11 as date for player auction for Pakistan Super League 11th edition
- The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and a maximum of 20
- The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced that the player auction for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be held on Feb. 11, setting the stage for franchises to begin assembling squads for the country’s premier Twenty20 tournament.
The development came after a workshop regarding PSL player auction at the Qaddafi Stadium, which was presided over by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and PSL CEO Salman Naseer.
The workshop was attended by PSL officials, all eight franchise representatives, members of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad, PCB officials and other capped players.
“The HBL PSL management shared a detailed presentation on the mechanics of the retention and the auction process and consulted with all the participants,” the PCB said.
“It was agreed that the HBL PSL player auction will take place on Wednesday, 11 February.”
The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and maximum of 20 players per franchise. The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size, according to the PCB.
It would be mandatory for the franchises to play minimum of three and maximum of four foreign players in the playing XI. The teams are also required to have minimum of two uncapped Under 23 players in the squad and one in the playing XI.
Players either retained or picked in the auction will be engaged for two-year contracts with their respective franchise teams, the board said, adding that franchise teams will be able to retain a maximum of seven players for the 12th edition of the tournament.
“I’m delighted that a consultative and productive session was held between the franchises, players and management today resulting in informed and strategic decisions which will pave the way for bright future for the HBL PSL,” Naqvi said.
“The Player Auction model is a landmark step for the HBL PSL, offering players better financial opportunities through an increased salary purse and a transparent acquisition process, while making the league more competitive and attractive.”
PSL CEO Naseer said the player auction system modernizes player recruitment by promoting fairness, transparency, and market-driven value, strengthening the PSL’s appeal for both players and franchises.
“Today’s workshop saw all views being taken into consideration and this rich feedback will be reflected in our execution of a successful player auction scheduled next month,” he said.
PSL has become a key pillar of the country’s cricket economy, providing financial stability to the PCB and serving as a talent pipeline for the national team. The 11th edition of the league is set to begin from Mar. 26 while the final is expected to be played on May 3, as per the PCB’s schedule.
