Sindh makes vaccination, SOPs mandatory

KARACHI: The Sindh Home Department has issued a notification of change in the timing of lockdown giving relaxation to traders and general public including opening of beaches in view of the disease pattern in the province.

The government has extended closure of general business at 8pm. The restaurants and cafes can serve only in outdoors and allow takeaway and drive through till 12 midnight. The class IX and above including universities and other training, educational institutions to open up with 50pc capacity. It also allowed holding outdoor marriage functions from Friday June 11 with upper limit of 150 guests and family subject to complying with all SOPs.

However, the Sindh government has made vaccination a mandatory requirement allowing two weeks to all organizations, offices and businesses to get their employees and staff vaccinated. This would be followed by random checking of vaccination status of their staff and employees.

According to the notification, “The Provincial Task Force on Covid that met on June 6, Sunday found an increased disease incidence in Hyderabad and Karachi which was also highlighted by NCOC in its meeting. It decided that certain activities and businesses can be opened with caution and preventive measures keeping in view disease spread pattern in Sindh. It underlined following caution and continued SOPs implementation, so as not to let the recent disease decline reverse and made specific decisions on restrictions and opening of businesses and activities. Therefore, the Government of Sindh, keeping in view the decision of Provincial Task Force with inputs from team of medical and other experts and in exercise of powers under section 3(1) of Sindh Epidemic Diseases Act, 2014 (The Sindh Act VIII of 2015) declares the general guidelines and requirements following in Sindh with immediate effect: Vaccination of all eligible individuals is the prime focus now along with SOPs as only prevention remains the strategy to contain the disease. Accordingly, all the organizations and offices and especially the businesses are required to ensure vaccination of their staff and employees at the earliest.

Making vaccination as mandatory requirement of the business establishment, the Home Dept announced a time margin of two weeks to all organizations, offices and businesses to get their employees and staff vaccinated. This would be followed by random checking of vaccination status of staff and employees. Alongside the vaccination, the government directive re-enforced and reiterated that strict implementation and following of the SOPs including mandatory wearing of mask in public, places and not allowing any business, customer and individual without masks. Observing distancing between individuals and avoiding crowd formation and crowding. Frequent hand washing and hand sanitization and provision of facilities to the staff, public, as applicable, by the businesses and concerns.