After NCOC’s decisions, Sindh removes more Covid limits

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday said the provincial government would follow all the decisions taken by the National Command & Operation Centre (NCOC) regarding further relaxation in Covid-related restrictions imposed on different activities.

During a meeting of the Provincial Task Force on Covid-19 he chaired at the CM House, Shah deplored the fact that the number of people dying due to the viral disease is still high. However, he pointed out, the provincial government has decided to follow the instructions of the NCOC regarding the reopening of businesses, and entertainment, dining and other activities in the province.

After thorough deliberations, the provincial task force endorsed the reopening of shrines, amusement parks, gyms and swimming pools, as was decided in their last meeting on June 19. Briefing the meeting on the Covid situation, Health Secretary Kazim Jatoi said the ratio of infections has dropped further. He said 14,052 tests were conducted on June 27, resulting in 521, or 3.71 per cent, positive cases.

On that day 7.54 per cent cases were reported in Karachi, of them 15 per cent cases and 18 deaths in the city’s District East, nine per cent cases and six deaths in District South, nine per cent cases and 11 deaths in District Korangi, nine per cent cases and 11 deaths in District West, eight per cent cases and three deaths in District Malir, and seven per cent cases and eight deaths in District Central.

The meeting was told that during this month 368 Covid patients have died, of them 208 (or 56.5 per cent) were on ventilators in hospitals, 83 (or 22.5 per cent) were off life support and 77 (or 21 per cent) were at home.

On this the chief executive said that during the last month Sindh had reported 392 deaths, which meant that the ratio of deaths had not slipped down much. The meeting was informed that the Sindh government has received 4,175,997 doses of vaccines of six different brands, and of them 3,320,251 have been used.

The federal government provides vaccines free of charge, and the provincial government bears the expenses of its logistics as well as of the expenses of the staff members concerned. The CM directed the health department to expand the vaccination drive all over the province. The task force urged the chief executive to allow vaccination of the people who do not have a CNIC. On this he directed the home department to consult with the NCOC.

Shah said the NCOC’s meeting scheduled for Tuesday (tomorrow) would review the situation and may announce some relaxations in the ongoing Covid-related restrictions. “We would adopt their decisions because it would be a uniform policy,” he concluded.

The meeting was also attended by ministers Saeed Ghani and Nasir Shah, CM’s adviser Murtaza Wahab, the parliamentary secretary on health, the Sindh and Karachi police chiefs, the additional chief secretary (home), CM’s principal secretary, the city commissioner, the school education secretary, the industries secretary, the special secretary (finance), WHO’s Dr Sara Khan, PMA’s Dr Qaiser Sajjad, and representatives of the V Corps and the Rangers.