Schools ignoring SOPs to be sealed

The top executive of the Karachi division has directed officers concerned to seal schools where the management is not implementing the vaccination SOPs devised to control the spread of novel coronavirus.

"All the private and public educational institution must ensure the vaccination of students aged 12 or above. Strict action should be taken be against those who disobey the directives," Commissioner Karachi Iqbal Memon while presiding over a meeting said.

The meeting that was attended by all deputy commissioners of Karachi, District Health Officers (DHOs), representatives of private school association, police and Rangers reviewed the prevailing Covid-19 situation amid the Omicron spread in the city.

During the meeting, commissioner Karachi expressed dismay over the blatant violation of SOPs by the marriage halls in the city and asked the deputy commissioners to seal the facilities violating government orders.

Read More: Shops sealed for flouting Covid SOPs

"The marriage halls exceeding the limit of 1,000 guests should be sealed. We cannot permit them to continue business at the cost of people lives," Memon said directing DCs to form the committees under supervision of assistant commissioners in their respective areas to keep vigil on the situation.

"You can get the help from Rangers and police to check the halls and ensure that each and every person attending the program comes with mask and follows the SOPs.

During the meeting, the deputy commissioners briefed about the vaccination targets in their areas accepting that there was low vaccination compare to high positivity ratio. "There is no other option, but vaccination to get rid of the Covid and bring the pandemic under control," he said .

Published in The Express Tribune, January 15^th, 2022.