Smart lockdown in six Rawalpindi areas

Polyclinic OPD shut after 100 staff test positive for Omicron

RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD:

The Rawalpindi district administration on Thursday imposed smart lockdown at six different locations after the constant rise in coronavirus cases.

According to health officials, a total of 2,199 coronavirus positive cases have been reported in the affected areas in the last couple of days.

At the suggestion of the District Health Department, the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner office had declared six areas as coronavirus hotspots and had recommended to the Punjab government to impose smart lockdown there.

According to the district administration, the smart lockdown has been imposed in the six affected areas of Rawalpindi for 10 days.

According to district administration officials, 780 coronavirus positive cases have been reported at four places of Shamsabad in the last couple of days. Similarly, 482 coronavirus positive cases have been reported from 5 different locations of Scheme-II, 351 cases at six locations on Race Course Road and seven in the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board area while 236 positive cases have been reported from eight different locations of Chaklala Scheme-III.

Similarly, 228 coronavirus cases have come to light from three different locations in Cantonment Model Town Phase-II, 122 cases in Muhammadi City and eight in the Muslim Town area of Rawalpindi.

After the smart lockdown, an immediate ban has been imposed on all commercial activities in hotspot areas, while educational institutions, snooker clubs, wedding halls and marquees will remain shut down. The movement of people in the affected areas will be restricted.

Police personnel will be deployed in these areas to check the entry and exit of residents. Only grocery stores, petrol pumps, banks, clinics and medical stories will remain open in these areas. Officials said that smart lockdown will fully be implemented in all areas. The smart lockdown will remain in place till February 2.

Meanwhile, the outpatient department (OPD) of Islamabad Polyclinic was shut down for four days after around 100 staff including doctors contracted the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

The hospital's OPD will remain shut down from January 28 to January 31, health officials said adding that the situation will be re-examined on February 1 before opening the OPD.

Despite the closure of OPD services, the staff will remain in the hospital, the circular said adding that all the doctors would be present in their offices and wards as per the duty roster. All the staff serving in the OPD will report to the security office, it said adding that all subordinate and attached dispensaries, medical centres and municipal community health centres will continue to operate according to the working hours.

Around 250 doctors, nurses and other paramedics at the PIMS, the largest government hospital in Islamabad, have also been affected by the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the National Command and Operation Centre team along with the Assistant Commissioner Industrial Area Islamabad on Thursday visited various commercial areas of sectors I/8 and H/8 to check the obligatory vaccine regime and compliance of coronavirus SOPs. The teams visited banks, hotels, restaurants, shops, bakeries and cash and carry centres and inspected the vaccination status of the employees and workers.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2022.