Drive launched to distribute 15m masks

Free masks will be delivered by Pakistan Post without any charges

LAHORE:

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid on Wednesday launched the "Lahore Wears Mask" drive to deliver free masks at the doorstep to the residents of the city.

The campaign was formally kicked off by posting the first delivery of masks to the office of the Punjab Chief Minister. Lahore Division Commissioner Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman, Post Master General Punjab Khawaja Imran Raza and Deputy Commissioner Lahore Mudassar Riaz were present in the ceremony at GPO's historical building.

At least 15 million masks will be sent through Pakistan Post to the homes, mosques and markets in Lahore. It is the biggest project of mask distribution with zero financial burdens on the government budget.

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The destinations were selected based on a survey conducted recently to evaluate the low mask-wearing areas and the low-income homes while the addresses were taken from LESCO. Free masks will be delivered by Pakistan Post with a letter cum message from Commissioner Lahore Office, about how to avoid the predicted fourth wave of Covid by wearing masks.

She said more than 8.4 million population of Punjab had been vaccinated, and more than 697 vaccination centres were working in Punjab. She appreciated the efforts of the commissioner and said that all other divisional administrations should also take such massive initiatives.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2021.