Asad Umar takes a jibe at UK for not accepting Chinese vaccines

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar Thursday  took a jibe at the United Kingdom  for  not accepting Chinese vaccines approved by the World Health Organsiation  (WHO).

Taking to his official Twitter handle, the minister wrote: "“[The] UK decides gora certificates [and] vaccines are okay but most non-gora vaccine certificates [and] Chinese vaccines are not. This despite widespread evidence of fake certificates in [the] US [and] Europe.”

Referring to  UK's decision to update its travel advisory, Umar asked: “Health considerations or hangover of a colonial mindset?” 

On Wednesday, the UK placed Pakistan on a new "rest of the world" list. Therefore, Pakistan is now not on the list of the countries whose vaccination certificates are recognised in the UK.

Pakistan was removed from the red list and was placed on the amber list on September 22 with several other countries, but in the latest travel advisory, the UK said it was working with Pakistani authorities to recognise the vaccine certificates issued by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

According to the changes in travel advisory, Pakistani travellers should follow these rules:

• Take a PCR test within 72 hours pre-departure
• Self-isolate for 10 days on arrival, or test to release on day 5
• Book day 2/8 PCR tests and complete a passenger locator form

However, once the UK authorities recognise NADRA's vaccination certificate, Pakistanis — who are fully vaccinated — will not have to self-isolate or take a pre-departure test, although they will still have to complete a two-day test and fill in a passenger locator form.

According to the  advisory, the UK-approved list of vaccines does not include   China's Sinopharm and Sinovac. It includes Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson.