ISLAMABAD: The government should expedite the COVID-19 vaccination drive and strictly implement coronavirus standard operating procedures to limit the spread of the disease, a top official at the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) said on Monday as a third wave of the virus builds in the South Asian nation of 220 million.
On Monday, Pakistan’s national positivity rate was 8.43 percent, with 3,669 new infections and 20 deaths reported in the past 24 hours.
“Vaccination process should be very fast; at least 70 percent of [adult] population of Pakistan needs to be vaccinated as early as possible so that we could have normal routine activities,” PMA secretary general Dr. Qaisar Sajjad told Arab News
He said it was important to stop the spread of the virus between cities, urging authorities to take “strict administrative actions on violators of standard operating procedures.”
“Pakistan is passing through a third wave, and the new UK variant can spread fast,” Sajjad added.
Pakistan’s National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), the government’s central body dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, on Monday said it would increase restrictions on activities contributing to the surge in the COVID-19 positivity rate.
“The provincial & ICT (Islamabad) administration ... directed to tighten implementation of the SOPs and crackdown on violations which are taking place,” planning minister Asad Umar, who also heads the NCOC, tweeted on Monday.
In the NCOC meeting this morning we decided to increase restrictions of activities contributing to sharp increase in covid positivity. The provincial & ICT administration were also directed to tighten implementation of sop's and crackdown on violations which are taking place.
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) March 22, 2021
Pakistan’s education minister Shafqat Mahmood said on Sunday the federal and provincial education ministers would meet on Wednesday, March 24, to decide on the reopening of educational institutes. The government had early announced a two-week spring break for educational institutes starting March 15.
Authorities had opened up almost all sectors of society in previous months but earlier this month reversed a decision to allow large indoor gatherings like cinemas, theaters and marriage halls.
