-NCOC asks provinces for stern action, crackdown against SOPs violations
-Punjab contributing 55pc to national Covid-19 mortality
-Covid claims 29 lives, infects 2,253
-President, first lady get Covid jab
By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has said that people aged 70 years or older, who have registered for vaccination, can walk into any vaccination centre from tomorrow and get inoculated against Covid-19.
In a statement, the NCOC said the citizens would have to show their Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) at the vaccination centre. They can register by sending their CNIC number to 1166. This is applicable for all provinces and regions in the country, including Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
According to NCOC, Punjab is contributing 55 per cent to national Covid-19 mortality. In a statement, the forum voiced concern over a rise in the coronavirus positivity rate during today’s session, which was attended by the chief secretaries of all provinces via video link.
“Hospital admissions are
also on the rise,” the statement said. Provinces were appreciated for taking prudent actions for disease control through high impact interventions. Provincial administrations are advised to take strict administrative actions over violations of standard operation procedures (SOPs), the statement said. “Tourists going to Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and other tourist spots are requested to ensure proper SOPs. Provinces are requested to ensure that SOPs in transport/hotels etc are strictly followed, otherwise strict actions resulting in closure of tourism sector may also be considered,” the NCOC warned.
COVID situation: The national tally on Monday of total active COVID-19 cases was recorded 22,038 with 2,253 more people tested positive for the deadly virus and 1,307 people recovered from the disease during the last 24 hours. Twenty-nine corona patients have died during past 24 hours, 26 of whom were under treatment in hospital and three out of hospital in respective quarantine or home, according to the latest update issued by the National command and Operation Centre (NCOC).
During the last 24 hours most of the deaths had occurred in the Punjab followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Out of the total 29 deaths occured during last 24 hours, 16 of the deceased had died on ventilators during their treatment. The maximum ventilators were occupied in four major areas including Multan 28 percent, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) 38 percent, Peshawar 23 percent and Lahore 34 percent. The maximum Oxygen beds (alternate oxygen providing facility other than ventilator administered as per medical requirement of COVID patient) was also occupied in Four major areas of Gujrat 59 percent, Peshawar 45 percent, ICT 36 percent and Lahore 30 percent.
Around 245 ventilators were occupied elsewhere in the country while no COVID affected person was on ventilator in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Balochistan.
Some 44,061 tests were conducted across the country on Sunday, including 8,036 in Sindh, 22,916 in Punjab, 6,931 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 4,773 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 483 in Balochistan, 312 in GB, and 610 in AJK. Around 571,878 people have recovered from the disease so far across Pakistan making it a significant count with over 90 percent recovery ratio of the affected patients.
Earlier in the day President Dr Arif Alvi and First Lady Samina Alvi got their anti-COVID vaccine here with the former urging the nation to take precautions to make the country sail through third wave of the pandemic. The president and the first lady arrived the vaccination center at Tarlai after he received the intimation from 1166 registration service where he had registered themselves on February 15, this year.
Talking to media, the president said the elites across the world had been breaking the queue to get vaccinated but in Pakistan, the government had put in place an efficient mechanism for vaccination of the people on their turn. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan also accompanied the president and the first lady.
“I think the vaccine gives further protection but we will have to take precautions of wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing unless the world fully overcomes the pandemic. Allah knows till how long we will have to do this,” he said.
Calling the COVID-19 a deadly disease, the president said it affected the elderly more than others and it could only be tackled through precautions.
The president said he found the system very easy and viewed that the mechanism of calling the people proactively had also avoided crowd at the centers, though the government had sufficient stock of the medicine available.
He said the vaccination was never meant to do away with the precautionary measures rather it was just meant to give further protection. The president recalled that Imran Khan was the only leader who had resisted the call of blanket lockdown by all including experts, but he went for smart lockdown just to avert the hunger-related deaths. The idea was later endorsed globally by many others, he added. He said the country kept the mosques opened and also observed Eid festivals with precautions, and recognized the sacrifices by the doctors. “Pakistan’s success is that we fought the first wave, the second one and it is essential to fight the third wave too. The precaution is direly needed. Keep wearing mask.
