ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on Monday decided to conduct wide-scale coronavirus tests before considering the closure of educational institutes across the country.
A meeting of the NCOC summoned to decide on safety precautions amid the surging case did not decide whether schools across the country will be closed or not. The NCOC had called a meeting of the provincial health and education ministers today to take decisions on coronavirus restrictions including closure of schools amid a rapid increase in COVID-19 infections.
“Decision about education institutions will be taken on data of positive cases of various institutions for which massive testing in educational institutions is being carried out,” the NCOC said in a brief statement issued after the meeting concluded.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar and National Coordinator Maj General Muhammad Zafar Iqbal chaired the NCOC session, while Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan attended virtually.
Provincial health and education ministers also joined the meeting virtually and told NCOC about the steps being taken for the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and COVID-19 SOPs in wake of a spike in coronavirus cases.
The meeting’s participants also discussed global and regional trends of the Omicron variant. It discussed a new set of NPIs keeping in view the disease prevalence, following which, it was decided that the NPIs will be enforced by the provinces in the next 48 hours after consultative process with all stakeholders.
During the meeting, Punjab health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid briefed the forum on the progress of the vaccination process in the province. She said that 85% of students of schools and colleges in the province have been fully vaccinated and the COVID-19 situation in the province is under control.
Dr Rashid informed the meeting that besides students, 46 million people constituting 57 percent of Punjab’s population, have been fully vaccinated. The minister said that the health department is making efforts for dealing with the intensity of the Omicron variant.
