Covid-19 SOPs issued for Ashura participants

RAWALPINDI:

With 16 more citizens tested positive for coronavirus during the last 24 hours in the Rawalpindi district, the District Health Authority (DHA) has issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the participants of Muharram processions and congregations.

As per the SOPs, the procession participants have been directed to wear masks and use sanitisers at regular intervals.

Medical camps have been set up for Covid-19 sampling of participants of processions and Majalis across the district. Each medical camp has been tasked to carry out at least 50 samplings.

The coronavirus sampling process in these medical camps will continue till the 10th of Muharram in areas of Potohar Town, Rawal Town, Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonments, Gujar Khan, Kallar Syedan, Kahuta, Kotli Sattiyan, Murree and Taxila.

The sampling will also continue in medical camps to be established at Pul Shah Nazar Dewaan, Committee Chowk, Fuwara Chowk, Kotwali Station and the WAPDA office of RA Bazaar on the procession routes.

DHA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Ishaq has issued a schedule for coronavirus sampling of the participants during Muharram processions and congregations, besides conducting booster vaccine doses in educational institutions across the district.

Dr Ishaq said that they have to follow the Covid-19 SOPs in letter and spirit to stay safe from the deadly virus, adding that the citizens will have to be administered the second booster dose as well after four months of the first booster dose. “The citizens have to wear masks, use sanitisers and maintain social distancing to lessen their chances of being infected,” said the official.

On the other hand, the focal person of the health department, Dr Waqar Ahmed, said that after receiving reports of coronavirus sampling during Muharram processions and congregations, those who tested positive will be shifted to home isolation.

During the last 24 hours, 1,536 people were screened for Covid-19 in Rawalpindi district, out of which 16 tested positive, he said.

As per a health department spokesperson, 127 people had been shifted to home isolation. He went on to say that to date, 1,336 people have lost their lives to Covid-19 across the district. So far, the reported number of positive cases in the district has been 43,730, out of which 42,267 patients have recovered and been discharged from the hospitals.

Meanwhile, City Traffic Police (CTP) have finalised all the arrangements to maintain traffic flow on Ashura Day. In a statement issued here on Sunday, as many as 1,000 traffic police personnel will be on duty on the occasion.

Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Naveed Irshad said that traffic will be maintained for mourning processions. On the 10th of Muharram, all types of traffic will be closed from Committee Chowk towards Iqbal Road, he added. DAV Chowk will be completely diverted from where all traffic entry towards College Road will be closed.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2022.