According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), all indoor gatherings and events have been banned in the districts and cities with Covid-19 positivity rate exceeding 10 per cent. However, only outdoor wedding events are allowed to be organised with a maximum of 500 guests.
The ban will go into effect from January 24 , the NCOC said.
The decisions were taken after the NCOC held a detailed review of the country’s current coronavirus situation along with the corresponding Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs). The forum differentiated the new NPIs depending on whether districts have Covid-19 positivity rate up to 10 per cent or above.
The NPIs to be implemented are as follows depending on the positivity rate and specify that they are for fully vaccinated individuals:
Gatherings
- Indoor gatherings allowed up to 300 individuals, outdoor up to 500 for districts with positivity up to 10pc
- Indoor gatherings banned, outdoor up to 300 for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc (with effect from Jan 24)
Weddings:
- Indoor weddings allowed up to 300 individuals, outdoor up to 500 for districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
- Indoor weddings banned, outdoor up to 300 for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc (with effect from Jan 24 and will remain effective till February 15)
Dining:
- Indoor and outdoor dining both allowed for districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
- Indoor dining banned (with effect from Jan 24), outdoor allowed for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc
Education sector:
- Education activities will continue for those under and over 12 in districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
- Education activities will continue with staggered attendance at 50pc capacity for those under 12 and 100pc attendance for those over 12 in districts with positivity rate more than 10pc
- Those over 12 will need to be fully vaccinated in both situations
- Vaccination will be mandatory (at least one dose) for those over 12 from Feb 1
- Aggressive sentinel testing to be carried out for targeted closures in institutes with high disease prevalence
- Federating units in consultation with health authorities will decide limits for closure of educational institutions
Gyms, cinemas, shrines, amusement parks:
- Indoor activities allowed for districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
- Indoor activities allowed at 50pc capacity for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc
Sports:
- All sports activities allowed for districts with positivity rate up to 10pc
- Ban on contact sports (karate, boxing, martial arts, rugby, water polo, wrestling and kabaddi) for districts with positivity rate more than 10pc
The NCOC decided that markets and business activities will continue without any restrictions. Employers are encouraged to let people work from home where possible.
Similarly, intercity public transport has been restricted in districts with high coronavirus positivity ratios at 70pc and 80pc in railways. The ban on serving of meals was also maintained for public transport and domestic air travel.
The curbs come as the country is in the grip of the fifth wave, which is being driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
It should be noted that in the last 24 hours, the coronavirus positivity ratio in Pakistan was 9.48pc when 5,472 infections were recorded, with Sindh and Punjab leading the charge in new cases reported.
Owing to a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases, several educational institutions in Islamabad and Karachi have also decided to close all schools to curb the rapid spread of the virus.
