NCOC relaxes more virus-induced restrictions

Desperate overseas workers overrun Covid vaccine centre in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD:

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Monday relaxed several coronavirus-induced restrictions, as the single-day death toll from the infectious disease hit a seven-month low, while the tally of new cases continued to remain below 1,000.

The NCOC, which serves as the nerve centre of the government’s unified effort to contain the Covid-19 spread, held a meeting under the chairmanship of Planning Minister Asad Umar to review the ongoing pandemic situation and the non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs).

The NCOC issued new guidelines which would be effective from July 1 till July 31. It said that business centres would be allowed to remain open till 10 pm from July 1, while important businesses, including petrol pumps and medical stores, will be allowed to operate 24/7.

The forum permitted outdoor wedding ceremonies for up to 400 people, while up to 200 people, who had received the Covid vaccine shot, would be able to attend indoor wedding ceremonies. However, the forum retained the ban on cultural, religious and other gatherings.

The NCOC allowed indoor dining at hotels and restaurants with the condition of 50% capacity. It said that those, who had the vaccine shot could be allowed indoor dining. It directed the hotel and restaurant managements to check the vaccination certificate. Outdoor dining will be allowed.

Read more: Outdoor dining returns to city

The forum decided that shrines could be reopened with strict observance of the standard operating procedure (SOPs). Similarly, cinemas will be allowed to open for the vaccinated people only until 1 O’clock in the morning.

The NCOC said that public transport would be allowed to continue with 70% capacity, recreation areas, swimming pools would be opened with 50% capacity, while the opening of gyms would be subjected to the condition of a vaccination certificate.

The forum allowed the provincial governments to take their own decisions regarding summer vacations in the educational institutions in their respective provinces. The forum also said that the situation would be reviewed again on July 27.

The new guidelines were issued as the national tally of active Covid-19 cases remained at 32,225, as 914 more people tested positive for the virus, while 910 people recovering from the disease during the last 24 hours. The national Covid positivity ratio during past 24 hours was 2.05%.

According to the NCOC daily update of the disease, 20 Covid-19 patients died during past 24 hours, raising the nationwide death toll to 22,231. Among the latest fatalities, 19 people, including 11 on ventilators, breathed their last in hospitals. The death toll is the lowest since November 15.

Also read: Shops, markets can remain open till 8pm from Monday onwards: NCOC

The update said that there were 1,961 Covid-infected patients under treatment in critical condition with 20 of them admitted during past 24 hours in various Covid dedicated healthcare facilities. Overall, 2,214 Covid patients were admitted to hospitals across the country.

As of Monday, the national caseload of the disease rose to 955,657, including 901,201 people making a full recovery. A total of 14,460,890 corona tests had been conducted so far, the update added.

Meanwhile, a large number of overseas Pakistanis barged into the mass vaccination centre at F-9 Park in the federal capital and staged a protest against what they said the non-availability of AstraZeneca vaccine — a basic requirement for travelling abroad especially to European and Arab countries.

A scene of total disorder was witnessed as overseas Pakistanis from different parts of the country throng the vaccination centre demanding that they be inoculated with AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines.

The vaccination centre’s management had to stop the vaccination drive for a while owing to the protest of a large number of expat Pakistanis.

Thousands of overseas Pakistanis from all over the country willing to go abroad for work or other purposes had arrived in Islamabad to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.

However, the staff present at the centre stopped the inoculation process which infuriated the expats, who barged into the centre after breaking the main gate.

Islamabad police, which had been summoned to control the situation, baton-charged the protestors.

On the other hand, Islamabad District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Zaeem Zia and Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) also intervened to resume the vaccination at the centre.

The angry protesters also broke chairs and benches and windowpanes at the centre by scalling up the grills of the facility.

Talking to The Express Tribune, the overseas Pakistanis said that they had arrived in Islamabad from different parts of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were not available in their respective areas.

They said that they had to fly abroad for work but still they were visiting different vaccination centres in the hope to get the required jab.

Some overseas Pakistanis said that they had come to Islamabad for vaccination by booking private cabs for up to Rs4,000.

They said that the government should ensure the availability of such jabs for those Pakistanis, on a priority basis, who have to travel abroad.

The expats said that they send heavy remittances to the country but their contribution was not being recognized and were not being administered the requisite vaccine.