Authorities prepare Karachi vaccination centre

Authorities have set up a COVID-19 vaccination centre in Karachi, ahead of Pakistan's national inoculation campaign that's set to start next week.

Citizens will be vaccinated in phases, starting with front line healthcare workers.

Elderly people and the general population will be immunised afterwards, said Dr. Aftab Ahmed, head of the vaccination centre.

Authorities also have created a mobile phone app and begun sending messages to the public, asking people to register to be vaccinated.

Earlier this week, Asad Umar, the minister in charge of Pakistan's virus response, didn't say which vaccine will be used.

However, Beijing recently promised to give Pakistan 500,000 doses of a Chinese vaccine before Jan. 31.

Pakistan is negotiating with different vaccine manufacturers to get enough doses to protect its population.

The South Asian country has recorded over 11,600 deaths from COVID-19.