The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (MoNHSRC) has adjudicated on facilitating foreign travel for individuals having been administered the Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines amidst doctors’ concerns apropos of the impact of mix-and-match vaccines on public health. In so doing, the MoNHSRC has set a fixed price of PKR 1,270 per COVID-19 booster shot.

On Friday, August 27, 2021, the MoNHSRC issued a notification in the pursuance of the decision made by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) in a meeting held on Tuesday, August 24, 2021. The notification notified of “additional vaccination to travelers [to] be administered at selected Public Corona Vaccination Centers (CVCs) on payment. The fee of the booster dose of vaccines shall be Rs.1,270/- per dose. […] The payment for the vaccination can be deposited in all branches of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in the Head of Account; C-Non-Tax Revenue, C02-Receipts from Civil Administration and other functions, C027-Community Services, Receipts; and C02721-Sale proceeds of sera and vaccines.”

Dr. Faisal Sultan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, said: “This vaccine will be allowed not on the basis of medical grounds, but for their traveling requirement. For this purpose, they will have to show their visa of the respective country. […] This vaccine will be allowed on nominal charges. This category will be allowed vaccination from September 1.”

The NCOC’s decision was made in the wake of the trials and tribulations of the citizens having been administered Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines vis-à-vis travel restrictions on account of COVID-19 imposed by countries not recognizing Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines.