New Covid curbs kick in

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has notified new restrictions for some sectors in selected districts to prevent the increasing number of positive cases of Covid-19 in the province.

The decision has been taken to effectively cope with alarming number of positive cases in the province and surge in positivity rate in some cities, leading to the third wave of the pandemic. According to a notification issued here by the K-P government on Monday, all the commercial activities, establishments, markets, except medical services and pharmacists, bakeries, general stores, milk, meat, chicken shops, fruit and vegetable shops, tandoors, postal, courier services, hotels, petrol pumps, oil depots, LPG outlets and filling plants, agriculture machinery workshops and spare parts shops, printing press, takeaway, home delivery from restaurants in Peshawar, Charsadda, Swabi, Nowshera, Mardan, Swat and Malakand shall be closed positively by 8 o’clock.

The notification further said that all types of marriage, event halls, community centers and marquees in the province shall remain closed. Only outdoor marriage functions in open areas shall be allowed subject to upper limit of 300 guests with strict implementation of Covid-19 SOPs. There shall be complete ban on indoor dining in restaurants in the province. Only outdoor dining and takeaway, home delivery shall be allowed with strict implementation of SOPs.

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It said wearing of face mask will be mandatory at all public places. In public transport also wearing of face mask will be a must with implementation of all other SOPs. All public private offices and establishments shall follow the policy of work from home for 50 percent of their staff in Peshawar, Charsadda, Swabi, Nowshera. Mardan, Swat and Malakand. All the cinemas and shrines and all types of sports, cultural and other activities and events shall remain banned throughout the province while amusement parks throughout the province shall be closed at 6 pm. It said industrial activities and establishments shall remain exempt from operation of this order.

The district administration and police shall work in close liaison to ensure strict implementation of this order. All other micro smart lockdown (MSLDs) orders shall also continue to remain in force till their individual expiry to curb Covid-19 spread in high risk localities. The notification said additional NPIs shall be enforced in mentioned sectors after deliberation in the meeting of Provincial Health Task Force. The notification said violator of these instructions, restrictions shall be penalized under the relevant law.