The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has decided to ease restrictions in cities across Pakistan as per their vaccination rate.
The NCOC took the decision on November 12 to review the COVID-19’s positivity rate across Pakistan and the pace of the vaccination drive.
“To encourage and incentivise cities with excellent vaccination progress, the forum decided relaxations in non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs)/return to normal life. Accordingly, the basis of NPIs for cities have been decided as per following vaccination progress,” a statement by the NCOC read.
As per NCOC, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Sialkot, Mianwali, Kallar Kahar, Hafizabad, Rahim Yar Khan, Karachi, Chitral, Charsadda, Balakot, Jehlum Valley, Rawalakot, Muzaffarabad, Neelum, Hunza and Kharmang, the vaccination rate is between 40-50 per cent.
Where as in Narowal, Jehlum, Mandi Bahauddin, Peshawar, Bhimber, Bagh, Mirpur, Skardu, Gilgit, Ghizer and Islamabad, the vaccination rate is above 50 per cent.
The rest of the cities, including Lahore and Hyderabad, have a vaccination rate of less than 40 per cent.
“These NPIs will remain effective till November 30,” the NCOC said, adding that a review will be carried out at NCOC on 29th.
The NCOC said in the statement that more than half the students across the country had been inoculated so far. The NCOC chief, planning minister Asad Umar said that Gilgit-Baltistan and Punjab had the highest ratio of inoculation among teenagers.
Two days earlier, on November 11, the government allowed Chinese vaccines – Sinopharm and Sinovac – to be administered to children above the age of 12 years, following their approval by the NCOC committee of health experts, said a statement.
