NCOC allows reopening of schools in districts with less than 5% coronavirus positivity ratio

The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday allowed the reopening of schools in districts where the COVID-19 positivity ratio is less than 5%.

The development came after NCOC chief Asad Umar presided over a meeting, with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, provincial chief secretaries and other members in attendance via video link.

A detailed review of the disease's prevalence in the country was taken, a statement from the NCOC said. Following the meeting, important decisions regarding restrictions were taken after extensive deliberations.

Reopening from May 20:

Gadani and Misri Shah industries would be allowed to reopen starting May 20.

Reopening from May 22:

Inter-provincial public transport will resume May 22, but will remain closed for two days — Saturday and Sunday. 

Reopening from May 24:

• Outdoor restaurants - open daily till 11:59pm and takeaways will be allowed 24/7.
• Tourism sector - allowed to operate under strict COVID-19 protocols. Separate instructions on protocols will be issued to all federating units.

Reopening from June 1, subject to a review on May 27:

• Outdoor marriage ceremonies with an upper limit of 150 individuals.

• Educational institutions — other than those opened from May 24.

Shrines, cinemas, indoor dining, indoor gyms, amusement parks, contact sports, festivals, cultural and other events, and indoor/outdoor gatherings will remain banned till further notice.

The forum decided that wearing masks will remain compulsory, but "innovative measures for enforcement" will be taken. "Implementation of broader lockdowns with stringent enforcement to be made based on risk assessment," the statement added.

The current inbound and land border policy will stay intact till further orders.

"Critical monitoring of disease prevalence and critical health care system is being carried out on daily basis, and necessary steps will be taken accordingly, whenever deemed appropriate to control the disease spread," the statement said.

Exception:

Walking/jogging tracks in parks will remain open with strict adherence to COVID-19 standard operating procedures.

SSC and HSSC exams

The NCOC decided all SSC and HSSC exams will be held after June 20, while professional and non-professional exams would take place on a case-to-case basis depending on recommendations from the Ministry of Education.

Curbs already in place from May 17

• Normal office working hours; 50% staff should be sent to work from home.
• Resumption of market activities with closure by 8pm.

All decisions were taken on the basis of the briefings provided by the provincial chief secretaries.

The NCOC had earlier imposed a lockdown in the country during the Eid holidays in order to stop the spread of the virus amid the deadly third wave.

Later, certain restrictions were eased following a review of the pandemic, and have now been further loosened.

Pakistan’s COVID death toll nears 20,000

Pakistan neared another grim landmark of 20,000 fatalities on Wednesday when the country reported 104 new deaths from coronavirus.

As per the official data by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 41,771 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours from which 3,256 returned positive.

The total caseload of confirmed virus cases in the country is 886,184.

At least 104 lost their lives to the contagion, raising the nationwide death toll to 19,856.

The coronavirus positivity rate stands at 7.79% whereas about 799,951 people have recovered across Pakistan from the virus.

In a province-wise breakdown, Sindh has reported 301,247 cases, Punjab 329,913, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 127,609, Islamabad 79,552, Balochistan 24,064, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 18,360, and Gilgit Baltistan 5,439.

Cannot tolerate further extension of schools closure

The Pakistan Alliance of Private Schools also held a meeting today ahead of the NCOC's review session. 

"NCOC should immediately announce reopening of educational institutions," said the alliance's chairman Akram Sheikh.

Sheikh said coronavirus cases across the country were reported in large numbers after markets and businesses were allowed to reopen, not schools. 

"Educational institutions should be reopened, similar to other sectors, with strict compliance of coronavirus SOPs," he said, adding that a further extension in the closure of educational institutions will result in "irreparable loss" for students. 

Sheikh warned that if the ban was extended beyond May 23, countrywide protests will be held against the decision.