The federal government has informed the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) that it is coordinating with leading manufacturers of COVID-19  vaccines, including those from China. 

Officials said that they are reviewing developments frequently including data from phase three of the COVID-19 vaccine trials.

The NCOC was further informed that the steps being taken will conclude to a final decision about vaccine availability in Pakistan. 

As per reports, Pakistan signed up for the United Nation’s COVAX Facility, a global initiative intended at equitable and unbiased access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines worldwide. 

There are also various local and China-made vaccine trials being conducting across the country. The human trials of a vaccine being developed by Chinese Company CanSino Biologics Inc started on September 22 and has over 13,000 volunteers across Pakistan. 

In November, Federal Minister for Planning and Development and the NCOC chief Asad Umar said that the federal cabinet has approved procurement of the vaccines that are expected to reach sometime between January and March in 2021.

Pakistan has reported 462,814 cases so far.