As the cases of COVID-19 are increasing at an alarming pace in the world, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to give a booster dose of the vaccine to all the players. According to a source reported by Geo News on Thursday, the Pfizer vaccination will be given as the third dose to the players of the national cricket team, while the support staff will also get a booster injection of the vaccine.
In the first phase, the players and other officials got a booster shot at the National High Performance Center (NHPC) on 7 January. Captain Babar Azam and Imamul Haque were vaccinated two days ago, while Shaheen Shah, Usman Qadir, Faheem Ashraf, Azhar were vaccinated. Ali and Naseem Shah were vaccinated under the supervision of the medical team.
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On the other hand, the women cricketers and their support staff have already received their third dose of vaccination. Players living in other cities are also expected to be given booster doses by Friday evening.
As instances of the new coronavirus variant Omicron begin to spread rapidly in the country, federal officials have advised Pakistanis to reconsider getting vaccinated and wearing masks. 2022 will also be an important calendar year for Pakistan, as it will host several major matches. Famous teams like Australia, New Zealand and England are expected to play international cricket in the Asian country in the near future.
As a result, it is up to the PCB to ensure that these matches go on without any hitches. Simultaneously, countries such as Australia are enforcing strict border rules and are likely to ensure the entry of vaccinated individuals with booster doses. Pakistani players are currently preparing for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022 season, which is starting from January 27. The PCB has put in place new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to safeguard the safety of players and officials during the mega event.
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It comes as a necessary measure not because of the renewed outbreak, but also because the previous edition was postponed in mid-March as the nation marred a second wave.
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