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 Queues for inoculations stretched more than a kilometre in some
locations this week, in response to measures designed to help slow a
Delta variant-fuelled surge in infections that has put pressure on
Pakistan's poor health infrastructure.
In a country that has a long anti-vaccination history, health
workers said many in line were more afraid of the restrictions -
some started Aug. 1 while others kick in on Aug. 30 - than the
health threat of COVID-19. That perception was supported by people
queuing who spoke to Reuters.
"I'm personally not scared of corona," said banker Abdul Rauf as he
stood in a queue at a vaccination centre in southern Karachi, with
his mask down to chin.
"Our salaries will be stopped, our SIMs will be blocked, so all
these things are out there, so that's why I got my second dose
done."
Pakistan has a long anti-vaccination history - Pakistan and
neighbouring Afghanistan are the only countries in the world where
polio is still an endemic disease - and COVID-19 hesitancy has been
high.
Out of a population of 220 million, only 6.7 million people have
been fully vaccinated, according to the National Command and
Operations Centre (NCOC), a military run body that oversees the
COVID-19 operations.
Pakistan's federal government announced late last month it would ban
staff from entering public offices, schools, restaurants, transport,
shopping malls and air travel without vaccination certificates.
The announcement prompted an immediate rise in vaccination rates,
which hit one million a day last week.
"I came here and obtained this card after getting the vaccination,
merely because I have to travel abroad, and I will not be able to
travel without doing this," said Mohammad Atiq Qureshi, a lawyer in
Karachi.
The local government in the southern province of Sindh went even
further, warning it could withhold the salaries of government
servants and block people's cellphone SIM cards unless they had the
required certificates.
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 "There is a small percentage
who are coming to get a shot for fear of the
disease or for their safety, but majority of the
people are coming for fear of having their
business closed ... or the youngsters who want a
shot for fear that their SIMs will be blocked,"
said Dr Jamila said, a health worker at one of
the vaccination centres.
NO VACCINE, NO BIG MAC
 Pakistan
on Thursday reported 5,661 new COVID-19 cases, the highest
single-day number in more than three months, and 60 deaths. Around
70% of the new cases are the Delta variant and more than 4,000
people in critical condition, officials said.
The country has recorded more than one million infections and around
23,600 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
Health Minister Faisal Sultan said the requirement of a vaccination
certificate had "helped to encourage vaccination."
Murtaza Wahab, a Sindh provincial government spokesman, said work
was underway on the logistics of blocking cell phones.
Anecdotal reports suggested some businesses had already begun
restrictions on service.
"We were denied McDonald's at a rest area on a motorway if we
couldn't show a text message to prove that we are vaccinated," said
Moiz Raja, who travelled from Islamabad to eastern Lahore city last
week.
(Additional reporting by Syed Raza Hasan in Karachi, writing by Asif
Shahzad; editing by Jane Wardell)
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