PM asks nation to follow Covid SOPs to prevent disease spread

Minister says children from 5-12 years will be vaccinated in next two months

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appealed to the nation on Wednesday to follow the anti-Covid standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the wake of a recent surge in the coronavirus cases across the country.

The prime minister, who chaired a meeting to discuss the Covid situation, paid tribute to the frontline health workers and doctors, saying that they had rendered numerous sacrifices to keep the countrymen safe from the disease.

Therefore, he urged the people not to squander the successes achieved in the fight against coronavirus. He directed the chief secretaries of all the provinces to ensure implementation of the SOPs.

“Adherence to the SOPs is inevitable for the safety of one’s own as well as the dear ones,” the prime minister said. He also called for the use of masks and sanitisers at the cattle markets set up ahead of Eidul Azha, weddings and other private gatherings.

Earlier, the prime minister was briefed about the Covid-19 situation at the local as well as the global level. Shehbaz said the performance of all institutions, particularly the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had been laudable during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The meeting was informed that the overall a downward trend was being observed in the number of cases across the world, however, a new variant of the Omicron had led to a recent surge in the cases in the country.

Over 3% positivity ratio was reported in the country on June 28, though the ratio of hospitalisation was lesser than that of the previous waves of the pandemic, the health authorities said.

They said that 86% of people above the age of 12 years had been fully vaccinated, while 93% had got at least single shot. Currently, the country’s capacity was to vaccinate around 200,000 people per day. They added that the entire population in Sindh had been fully vaccinated.

The prime minister was informed about the steps being taken to monitor the movement of people on the border and the Pass Track App. Shehbaz directed the authorities concerned to carry out a mass awareness drive on the subject.

Later, Health Minister Qadir Patel told a press conference after the meeting that the Covid positivity ratio had risen to 3.5% in some cities, but there was no need to panic as the government was monitoring the situation and taking measures to prevent its spread.

He warned that chances of Covid spread existed because of the religious gatherings in the next few months including Eidul Azha and related cattle markets, political gatherings, and the Moharramul Haram Majalis.

“We have to be careful as minor increase in positivity ratio can become a big tragedy,” said the minister, adding that the intensity of Covid had decreased but the menace had not yet eliminated completely.

Patel stressed the need for following the SOPs, including wearing masks at public places. “The ECP [Election Commission of Pakistan] is being asked to ensure adherence to the SOPs during the election campaigns,” he added.

He urged media to help the government launch an awareness campaign to highlight the benefits of face using masks, adopting social distancing and using sanitisers. The NCOC, he added, was monitoring the situation very closely on a daily basis.

“The government has already made wearing of mask in public transport, flights and railways mandatory. The government has directed all chief secretaries to initiate Covid tests of the people to ascertain the actual situation regarding the virus spread,” he added.

Responding to a question, the minister said that arrangements had been finalised to vaccinate children between the age of 5 and 12 years in next one to two months. “As many as 6.8 million Pfizer dozes are being arranged for administering to Covid vaccine to the children,” he said.