NCOC to meet today to review worsening COVID-19 situation

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 06 Jan 2023

ISLAMABAD: A key meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) will be held in Islamabad today (Monday) to take important decisions to contain the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The NCOC meeting will review the worsening COVID-19 situation in the country. The meeting will also review the decisions to clamp more smart lockdowns in parts of the country.

Furthermore, the decision to extend the closure of educational institutions amid the rising coronavirus cases in the country will also come under consideration during the meeting.

Sources further informed that significant decisions are also expected in the meeting on the closure of transport and markets in the affected areas.

Education, health ministers meet Wednesday to decide to open schools

Meanwhile, the country’s education and health ministers will meet on Wednesday (March 24) to decide about the opening of educational institutions or extend the closure for few more weeks.

The federal and provincial education and health ministers will attend the meeting which will be chaired by Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood.

“The third coronavirus wave is serious; requires careful review. All education/health ministers will meet Wednesday, March 24 at the NCOC to take a decision regarding the opening of further closure of educational institutions. The health of students, teachers/staff primary consideration,” Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood tweeted.

On March 10, the education minister had announced the closure of all public and private educational institutions in seven major cities of Punjab from March 15 to March 28.

He said that all educational institutions in Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, Multan, and Sialkot will remain close for two weeks for Spring break.

Shafqat Mahmood had also said that all educational institutions in Islamabad, Peshawar, and Muzaffarabad will also remain close for two weeks. He clarified that the new orders were not applicable to institutions that are going through exams.

The minister further said that situation of the coronavirus pandemic was under control in Balochistan and Sindh so educational institutions in these provinces will follow the policy of 50 percent attendance.

He said the provincial governments would continue monitoring the situation about the pandemic and they can decide about the closure of any institution on the basis of facts. He said the NCOC will also be constantly monitoring the situation.

Speaking on the occasion, SAPM Faisal Sultan said that coronavirus cases are increasing in the country and urged administrative departments to enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) regarding coronavirus.

The SAPM further said that the policy of smart lockdown and micro-smart lockdown in targeted areas and a ban on holding marriage ceremonies in covered areas will continue across the country.

He said public parks will be closed at 6:00 pm and commercial activities at 10:00 pm except for essential services. He said the situation will be further reviewed on the 12th of next month. Offices have also been directed to function on 50 percent of staff.

He said the vaccination process of senior citizens of 60 years of age and above has been started and these elderly people can get vaccination by sending their CNIC number to 1166.