Schools to be closed from 2 week in several cities thanks to COVID-19 outbreak: Shafqat Mehmood

 Schools to be closed from 2 week in several cities thanks to COVID-19 outbreak: Shafqat Mehmood

Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said on Wednesday that educational institutions in seven cities of Punjab will close for 2 weeks from March 15 (Monday) in light of rising Covid-19 cases.

The minister was addressing a news conference alongside Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan shortly after the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) reviewed the coronavirus situation at educational institutions.

Mahmood said respite will begin within the following cities in Punjab and can continue till March 28.

Faisalabad

Gujranwala

Lahore

Gujrat

Multan

Rawalpindi

Sialkot

ISLAMABAD: Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood on Wednesday announced the closure of faculties in several cities from Monday, March 15 following a spike in coronavirus cases.

Speaking to the media after a gathering at the National Command and Operations (NCOC), the federal minister said educational institutes would be closed Islamabad and other Punjab cities from Monday for 2 weeks.

The SAPM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan said a choice had also been taken to increase a ban on indoor activities and reimpose the five hundred work-from-home policy. The implementation of the work from home policy has been left to the discretion of the provinces, but will enter effect in Islamabad immediately.

The country’s apex COVID-19 body took the subsequent decisions:

Strict compliance with mask-wearing will continue across the board.

Smart lockdowns/micro smart lockdowns will still be imposed supported disease prevalence/hotspots.

50% work from home policy are going to be implemented at the discretion of federating units. However, it'll be enforced in Islamabad with immediate effect.

The deadline of 10:00pm on all commercial activities are going to be re-enforced with immediate effect, less essential services.

Amusement parks across the country are going to be closed at 6:00pm.

The earlier decision of allowing indoor weddings, indoor dining and therefore the opening of cinemas and shrines with effect from 15th March 21 has been withdrawn. However, outdoor dining/take away will still remain open as per previous practice.

Outdoor gatherings will still remain limited to a maximum of 300 individuals with strict enforcement of COVID-19 SOPs.

A review of all enforced NPIs are going to be administered on April 12, 2021.

The above-mentioned decisions regarding NPIs are base-line decisions. Federating units are at liberty to impose stricter NPIs in selected Cities/Districts keeping in sight the local disease trend/spread.

NCOC meeting

Earlier today, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar presided over the NCOC meeting attended ministers from all the provinces and federating units.

The forum was given comprehensive update and review about non-pharmaceutical interventions already issued and which were valid till March 15, a handout said.

In view of prevailing diseases pattern and rising positivity ratio, the meeting decided the following:

1- Strict compliance of mask wearing will continue across the board

2- Smart lockdowns/ micro-smart lockdowns will still be imposed supported disease prevalence

3- 50pc work from home policy are going to be implemented on the discretion of federating units. However, it'll be enforced in Islamabad 

 with immediate effect

4- deadline of 10pm on all commercial activities are going to be re-enforced with immediate effect

5- Amusement parks across the country are going to be closed at 6pm

6- Earlier decision of allowing indoor weddings, indoor dining and opening of cinemas and shrines with effect from March 15 has 

7- been withdrawn. However, outdoor dining/ takeaway will still remain open as per previous practice

8- Outdoor gatherings will still remain limited to a maximum of 300 individuals with strict enforcement of Covid-19 SOPs

9- Review of all enforced non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) are going to be administered on April 12

"The decisions regarding NPIs are the baseline decisions. Federating units are at liberty to impose stricter NPIs in selected cities or districts keeping in sight the local disease spread," the handout said.