Pakistan to mandate vaccines for all public sector employees

Pakistan: Pakistan to Make Vaccinations Mandatory for All Employees in the Public Sector

Today, Pakistan will make proof of vaccination mandatory for entry into public offices, schools, restaurants, and shopping malls, as well as for public transport workers and all public sector employees.

Only 2.7% of the population fully vaccinated, so the new restrictions will affect the vast majority of the country’s people. The mandate comes as COVID-19 cases and deaths in Pakistan have surged in the past weeks, with 4,497 new cases and 76 deaths in 24 hours over the weekend. The Pakistani government initially moved slowly on vaccinating its population, due to both a lack of vaccines and healthcare infrastructure, but has been able to ramp up its response recently with these restrictions and more vaccination drives.

Yet, even with the government nearing its goal of 1 million doses administered per day, and vaccine donations from China and the United States, poor healthcare infrastructure, especially storage in the non-urban areas that make up most of the country, and high vaccine resistance will likely hinder the country’s long-term return to normalcy. Expect the Delta variant to increase in severity and for social restrictions to remain tight in the immediate future, and for the country’s vaccination rate to slow in the longer term.