Schools’ closure decision after Covid data review

Islamabad: While evaluating tighter restrictions to combat the fifth coronavirus wave caused by the Omicron variant, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), announced on Monday that it would make a decision on the proposed closure of educational institutions only after thoroughly investigating the incidence. It did not, however, say how long it would take to make that decision.

According to a statement issued after the NCOC meeting, which was chaired by federal planning minister Asad Umar and national coordinator Major-General Muhammad Zafar Iqbal and attended virtually by the special assistant to the prime minister on health and education Dr Faisal Sultan, decisions regarding education institutions would be taken on data of positive cases in various educational institutions for which massive testing in educational institutions is being carried out.

The NCOC, convened in response to an alarming increase in COVID-19 cases across the country, discussed epidemic curve chart data, national vaccine strategy, and disease prevalence across the country, and decided on the implementation of new protocols in cities with a 10% or higher positivity rate.

It stated that a huge COVID-19 testing drive was being conducted in educational institutions to collect data. Following the surge in coronavirus cases, the ministers briefed the conference about the measures taken by their respective governments to establish non-pharmaceutical interventions and standard operating procedures

While advising individuals to closely adhere to SOPs in order to avoid the virus, she stated that the government was taking all feasible precautions to stop the spread of the virus, particularly the Omicron variant. Previously, Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas advocated for 50% school attendance for students under the age of 12.