NCOC nod sought to reopen shrines

The Punjab government will seek permission from the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) to open 189 shrines of the Punjab Auqaf Department in four big cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Multan.

These shrines were closed down on recommendation of the NCOC as the fourth wave of coronavirus. It was disclosed in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Dr Yasmin Rashid on Tuesday.

Dr Rashid said the provincial government has also decided to seek permission from the NCOC for vaccinating citizens between 16 and 18 years of age.

The meeting reviewed the coronavirus situation in the hospital and highlighted that the fourth wave of the coronavirus is gripping fast the urban centres.

The health minister pointed out that 88% of coronavirus patients in hospitals are non-vaccinated.

The health condition of the patients who have taken the first dose of the vaccine is better than those who have not taken the shot.

She also highlighted that the federal government has provided 11 oxygen generators to hospitals of the Punjab Health Department.

Punjab Primary and Secondary Health Department Secretary Sara Aslan briefed meeting participants about the coronavirus situation and ongoing vaccination campaign in the province.

Read Covid vaccination certificate must for air travel after Sept 10: NCOC

She disclosed right now 2,122 coronavirus patients were being treated in public hospitals across the province out of which 274 patients are in critical condition. She told meeting participants that 292,195 citizens were administered coronavirus vaccination on Monday.

Punjab chief secretary instructed Lahore, Faisalabad, and Sargodha divisions commissioners to further increase the pace of vaccination drive in their respective districts because vaccine and social distancing are the only available remedies available right now. He said through micro-planning, the target of 500,000 vaccines per day should be maintained in all circumstances to save citizens’ lives.

Data released by the provincial health authorities indicate that as many as 1,1145 new coronavirus cases were reported in Punjab yesterday after which a total number of coronavirus patients reached 375,721. So far 340,091 patients have been recovered and 21,290 cases are active in the province.

Data highlights that 25 citizens lost their lives against coronavirus, including 12 in Lahore, during the past 24 hours after which a total number of coronavirus-related deaths reached 11,370 in Punjab.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2021.