NCOC shares ‘obligatory regime for vaccination’ plan with provinces

ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has shared a detailed plan of implementing Obligatory Regime for Vaccination with all the federating units in order to overcome the deadly contagious disease of coronavirus.

The forum has worked out a phase-wise strategy with the core focus on emphasising that high vaccination ratio is fundamental to success of Pandemic Exit Strategy in the country, said an official NCOC document available with APP that included the detailed strategy to enforce obligatory regime.

“An organised regime has been strategised to realise the successful exit strategy and achieve desired tangible vaccination targets,” it said.The sector-wise strategy comprises sector description, cut date for partial vaccination, and complete vaccination.

The education sector is required to balance teachers, administrative and transport staff plying with educational institutes for partial vaccination by August 31 and complete vaccination by September 30.

For the air travel, both domestic and international, including inbound and outbound, permission for partially vaccinated is already in place, whereas complete vaccination will be enforced by September 30.

Entry into shopping malls will be ensured for partially vaccinated by August 31 and fully vaccinated by September 30. Hotel and guest house bookings will be ensured for partially inoculated by August 31 and fully vaccinated by September 30. Dine in and outdoor dining at hotels, restaurants and marriage halls and ceremonies for partially vaccinated is in place and by September 30 only completely vaccinated people could avail these services.

The deadline for partial and complete vaccination of students of 17 years age and above is September 15 and October 15, respectively.Final dates for partial and complete inoculations of the staff of trains, buses, vans, coasters, taxis, home delivery services etc. along with staff of any facilities operating within premises of railway stations, bus stops, taxi stands and other public transports are September 15 and October 15, respectively.

The services at public dealing offices of all types of government and private entities for only partial and completely vaccinated individuals will take effect from September 15 and October 15, respectively.

Travelling by rail and road would be allowed to only partial and completely vaccinated individuals by September 15 and October 15, respectively.The NCOC has provided a detailed implementation methodology to all the federating units, which will begin from soft launch of obligatory regime. Soft launch (September 1-15) will be used for extensive communication and advertisement at prominent places, bus stands, ticketing offices, toll plazas, rest areas and railways stations.

The people would not be denied any facility, instead they would be asked to get vaccinated and federating units will ensure availability of mobile vaccination teams at required places.In order to ensure compliance of the obligatory regime a monitoring mechanism is also part of the strategy. It will include checking transport at point of origin (bus stands).

The existing mechanism of checking vaccine certificates at the airports before issuing boarding passes will be further streamlined, whereas efforts are being made to develop IT-based system for linking ticketing of PIA, Pakistan Railways, selected bus services and M-tags and motorways toll plazas with National Immunisation Management System (NIMS).The forum has requested all federating units, institutions and entities to implement obligatory regime in true letter and spirit.