How to Volunteer for Coronavirus Vaccine in Pakistan

Clinical trials for Coronavirus vaccine are rapidly underway in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. Young people and also the older ones are wondering as how to volunteer for Coronavirus vaccine in Pakistan. As the second wave rages high in Pakistan and health authorities still struggling to arrange vaccine for everyone, becoming a volunteer for the vaccine is one way to get it early.

Volunteers are needed for the trials of Chinese Coronavirus vaccine Ad5-nCoV. This vaccine has been fast-tracked and developed by the top most companies in China. This is codeveloped by CanSino Biologics which is a Tianjin-based Chinese vaccine company and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, a Chinese military-backed research arm. Both of these outfits are pretty confident about the efficacy of this vaccine as the initial results are very encouraging.

Payment of being a volunteer for Coronavirus vaccine is also good even if its a volunteer work. Volunteers are needed in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore in five hospitals. Altogether more than 10000 people will be needed as volunteer and then it will be expanded to other areas of country. In medical term this is phase 3 trial of the Ad5-nCov vaccine. Worth Health Organization also recognizes it as a candidate. Of course there are other vaccines too which are being trialled. 

The Indus Hospital (TIH) in Karachi is where you can volunteer. Similarly Shaukhat Khanum in Lahore and PIMS in Islamabad will be the hospitals for trials. Where many people are very excited and willing to volunteer for the vaccine, there are some who are very much scared of it. The number of people who were willing to volunteer for the tests have gradually been increasing, and hopefully the target could be achieved. We Pakistanis need to step up to this.

There is a huge majority of Pakistanis who have doubts about vaccine and even the Coronavirus itself. Many even think that there is no virus as such and its all a conspiracy to control their mind. This misinformation and propaganda is so huge that even TV channels are airing it and some clerics like Kaukab Noorani Okarvi are calling it as infidel conspiracy against Pakistan. He is not alone in that stupid campaign. Surveys tell the same story. For example, Gallup Pakistan showed that 55% of Pakistanis were unsure if the virus is real and that 46% considered it part of a conspiracy. I hope that education and media positive campaign dispel that myth.