The Sindh government on Tuesday notified Covid-19 restrictions to contain the recent surge in coronavirus cases, including a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people and on unnecessary movement after 8pm.
The Provincial Task Force on Covid-19, in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Monday, decided to tighten coronavirus restrictions in a bid to control the rising number of viral infections.
‘Sindh currently has half of country’s active virus cases’
On Monday, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah while addressing a session of the provincial task force on Covid-19, said that currently, Sindh has half of country’s active Covid cases.
The session was attended by provincial ministers Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho and Saeed Ghani, law enforcers, chief secretary, medical professionals and a World Health Organisation representative.
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CM Shah further said: “Fifty percent of all the [current Covid] cases in the country are in Sindh.” “I am getting the most complaints about [violation of] SOPs (standard operating procedures) in district East and district Central,” said the chief minister. He directed the Karachi commissioner to ensure SOP implementation “at all costs”.
The session was further informed about the positivity rate of cases in Karachi that it stood at,
- 21 percent in district East
- 16 percent in district South
- 10 percent in district Central
Meanwhile, other districts of the province had 11pc in Hyderabad, 10pc in Dadu and 8pc in Sukkur.
The chief minister and directed for mass vaccinations in industrial areas. Stressed that, “We have to protect our people by vaccinating them in any case,” he added, “Vaccination should be carried out in industrial areas with the cooperation of industrialists,”
New Covid restrictions placed by Sindh
He also ordered to ensure the implementation of SOPs,
- Business timings to be from 5am to 6pm, while bakeries and milk shops will be allowed to operate till midnight.
- Pharmacies in shopping malls and super stores to close by 6pm
- Indoor or outdoor dining will not be allowed at restaurants, however, delivery and takeaway will be allowed.
- Public transport — intercity, intra-city and inter-provincial — will be allowed subject to 50pc occupancy and compliance with Covid SOPs.
- All education institutions including schools, colleges and universities will remain closed for a further two weeks, till the situation improves or till further review by the provincial task force on Covid-19.
- Fridays and Sundays will be observed as closed days by businesses across the province except Hyderabad where Fridays and Saturdays will be observed as closed days instead.
