Sindh requests NCOC to make vaccination certificates mandatory for banking services

KARACHI: The Sindh health department on Sunday requested the  National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to make vaccination certificates mandatory for people to continue enjoying banking and post office services.

A  letter sent to the NCOC by the health department suggested that bankers and post office staff members should be directed to offer services to only vaccinated citizens, while those who fail to show vaccination certificates should be denied access to the services. 

Separately, the health department wrote a letter to the home department seeking to make the vaccination certificates an obligatory part of the enforcement of COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued for restaurants and hotels across the province. 

Under this obligation, the citizens who don't possess vaccination certificates must not be offered the dine-in service at restaurants or stay at hotels.

No vaccination no service

The NCOC has made vaccination certificates mandatory across the country for various services.

Fuel

Unvaccinated people in Lahore were to be denied petrol starting September 1 and people travelling via the motorway were also asked by motorway police to keep their vaccination certificates handy.

Public transport, domestic air travel

Unvaccinated people will not be allowed to use public transport from October 15 and vaccination will be mandatory after September 30 for domestic air travel.

Shopping malls

Furthermore, unvaccinated people will not be allowed to enter shopping malls from August 31 and from September 30, only those people who will have taken both vaccine shots will be allowed in shopping malls.

Hotels and restaurants

For hotels and restaurants, from August 31, people with one vaccine shot will be allowed, whereas, from September 30, both shots will be mandatory to access hotels and restaurants.

Marriage ceremonies

NCOC also announced that those who have not taken both vaccine doses will not be allowed to attend marriage ceremonies, whether they are indoor or outdoor, after September 30.

NCOC introduces mobile app for vaccination certificate

According to Dr Faisal Sultan, the prime minister's adviser on health, the NCOC has developed a mobile application in collaboration with National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to provide vaccine certificates to people.

All people have to do is submit the required details and their certificates will be generated, Dr Sultan said.

Pakistanis vaccinated abroad too will be able to generate vaccination certificates from the NADRA website starting August 26.