Restaurants in Sindh allowed takeaway service during Eid holidays

• Sindh CM chairs meeting of provincial Coronavirus Task Force.
• CM Murad issues directives to keep vaccination centres open during Eid.
• Sindh Information Minister Nasir Shah warns restaurants over violation of COVID-19 SOPs.

KARACHI: In a major relaxation for restaurant owners, the Sindh government has allowed the resumption of takeaway service during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays with strict COVID-19 SOPs in place.

This was decided in a meeting of the Provincial Task Force on Coronavirus here at the Chief Minister House which was chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.

Participants were briefed on the latest pandemic situation across the province and the vaccination process.

Vaccination centres to remain open

Murad Ali Shah issued instructions to keep vaccination centres in Sindh open during holidays as well. The chief minister also gave instructions for the establishment of vaccination centres in Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and other districts of the province after Eid.

The federal government had earlier that vaccination centres would remain closed for two days on account of Eid.

Eid at home

At the outset of the meeting, a comparison of coronavirus cases during the holidays of last Eid-ul-Fitr was made and participants were informed that a 30% increase in coronavirus cases was recorded during the last Eid holidays. The last Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated on May 24, 2020 and on that day, there were 846 or 15% positive cases.

Just after Eid the meeting was informed that the ratio of positive cases went on increasing and within 18 days, it surged to 3,038 cases, which amounted to a 30% spike. The meeting observed that the reason behind the abnormal spike in cases was the violation of SOPs by masses.

Therefore, the chief minister urged people to celebrate Eid with their immediate family members and avoid meeting relatives. “This is the only way to protect everyone,” he said.

Take away service

The chief minister, in consultation with the participants of the meeting, decided to allow restaurants to offer take away service but with strict compliance of coronavirus SOPs. 

As per the SOPs, tt the restaurant, nobody would get out of the vehicle to collect the food, but they would be provided the food by the restaurant staff. And no restaurant would place chairs for dining or even for just sitting. 

“We would seal restaurants in case of violation of the SOPs," CM Shah said.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Syed Nasir Shah, Jam Ikram, Advisor Law Murtaza Wahab, Parliamentary Secretary Qasim Siraj Soomro, Chief secretary Mumtaz Shah, IG Sindh Mushtaq Maher, ACS Home Usman Chachar, Commissioner Karachi Naveed Shaikh, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Commissioner Karachi Naveed Shaikh, Adl IG Karachi Imran Minhas, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi, Secretary School Education Ahmed Bux Narejo, Secretary Health Kazim Jatoi , Dr Bari, Dr Faisal, Dr Sajjad Qaiser, VC Dow Dr Saeed Qureshi and representatives of Corps 5, Rangers and WHO.