Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood has announced that all educational institutions will remain closed in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Peshawar and seven cities of Punjab from upcoming Monday (March 15) for two weeks due to rising Covid-19 cases in these areas.
The minister said this while addressing a news conference along with Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan on Wednesday after a meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).
Shafqat said that the cities of Punjab where these two-week spring vacations will be observed include Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Gujrat, Sialkot, Multan and Rawalpindi. He said that this decision will not be applicable to institutions conducting examinations. The minister said that a similar decision is expected to be announced from Muzaffarabad as well.
In other parts of the country, Shafqat said that the educational activities will continue as per the routine practice of 50 per cent attendance every day with strict observance of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
He said that the provincial governments will continue monitoring the situation about the pandemic and they can decide about the closure of any institution on the basis of facts. He also said that the NCOC will also be constantly monitoring the situation.
Speaking at the occasion, Dr Faisal said that the policy of smart lockdown and micro-smart lockdown in targeted areas and a ban on holding marriage ceremonies in covered areas will continue across the country.
He said that public parks will be closed at 6:00 pm and commercial activities at 10:00 pm except for essential services. He also said that indoor dining will not be allowed in restaurants. “Outdoor seating and takeaway services are permitted. Offices have also been directed to function on 50 per cent staff capacity. The situation will be further reviewed on 12th of the next month,” he added.
The SAPM said that the vaccination process of senior citizens of 60 years of age and above has been started and these elderly people can get the vaccination by sending their CNIC number to 1166.
Dr Faisal said that coronavirus cases are increasing in the country and urged the administrative departments to enforce the SOPs.
Meanwhile, the NCOC on Wednesday issued fresh guidelines following a surge in the Covid-19 cases across the country.
The session was held with the authority’s Chairman Asad Umar in the chair and was “given a comprehensive update and review about the non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) already issued and which were valid till March 15”.
The statement released by the country’s nerve centre for Covid-19 response said that in view of the prevailing disease pattern and rising positivity ratio, strict compliance with mask-wearing will continue across the board. smart lockdown and micro smart lockdowns will continue based on disease prevalence and hotspots.
The statement further said that 50 per cent work from a home policy will be implemented at the discretion of the country’s federating units. However, it will be enforced in Islamabad with immediate effect.
The time limit of 10:00 pm on all commercial activities will be reinforced with immediate effect, less essential services. “Amusement Parks across the country will be closed at 6:00 pm.”
The statement further said that the earlier decision of reopening remaining places from March 15 has been withdrawn. “However, outdoor dining and takeaways will continue to remain open as per the previous practice.”
“Outdoor gatherings will continue to remain limited to a maximum of 300 individuals with strict enforcement of Covid-19 SOPs,” the statement said and added that the decisions regarding NPIs by the forum are the base-line decisions. Federating units are at liberty to impose stricter NPIs in selected cities and districts keeping in view the local trend and spread of the Covid-19 virus.
The second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive for people aged 60 and above was started at many government hospitals on Wednesday.
Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Service Dr Nausheen Hamid said that the senior citizens who have registered themselves for vaccination will receive an SMS with instructions on their mobile phones and the oldest persons will be vaccinated first. She said that the vaccination shots would be distributed fairly, in three stages and citizens should not have any doubt about the vaccination as the vaccine has proven safe.
“Beginning with the senior most citizens, who will receive SMS with instructions on their cell phones,” SAPM Dr Faisal tweeted on Tuesday.
Earlier, the NCOC head Asad had announced that the vaccination of people aged 60 years and above will start from Wednesday. “Vaccinations will be done in reverse order by age. Which means the oldest person who has registered will be vaccinated first. Full details will be issued tomorrow,” Asad tweeted.
Meanwhile, the coronavirus pandemic claimed 43 more lives across the country in the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to 13,324, said the NCOC on Wednesday.
According to the country’s nerve centre for Covid-19 response, 1,786 fresh infections were reported during the aforesaid period, raising the national tally of cases to 595,239. The total count of active cases is 16,699 and 1,664 of them were stated to be in critical condition. A total of 39,425 tests were conducted across the country during the last 24 hours, while 9,318,038 samples have been tested so far.
In the past 24 hours, as many as 1,393 patients recovered from the virus while the number of recoveries so far has been 565,216.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s son and PTI lawmaker, Zain Qureshi, has tested Covid-19 positive for the second time.
In a tweet, Zain Qureshi shared the news and said he is isolating himself after developing a mild fever. “I have tested positive for Covid-19 for the second time, isolating at home,” Zain wrote on his Twitter account.
