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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan announced on Wednesday the lifting of a number of restrictions imposed to control the spread of the coronavirus in the country, including the reopening of educational institutions and resumption of outdoor dining, from May 24 in districts where the positivity rate is less than 5%.
The development came after a meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), a body mandated to take and implement Covid-19-related decisions. It is headed by planning and development minister Asad Umar.
The statement issued after the meeting attended by top officials, including provincial chief secretaries, said the forum allowed staggered re-opening of education institutes in districts with less than 5% positivity from June 7 (other than those reopened from May 24).
The NCOC said restaurants will remain open for outdoor dining from May 24 till 12 pm, whereas takeaways have been allowed 24×7.
It said the tourism sector will also be allowed to reopen under stringent Covid-19 protocols. “Separate instructions on protocols (are) being issued to all federating units,” it added.
Outdoor marriage ceremonies with a maximum of 150 individuals have also been allowed from June 1. However, a review in this regard will be undertaken on May 27.
The statement said that restrictions will continue to remain in place on shrines, cinemas, indoor dining, indoor gyms and amusement parks (except walking and jogging tracks), as well as the bans on contact sports, festivals, cultural and other events, all types of indoor and outdoor gatherings, and inter-provincial public transport for two closed days (Saturday and Sunday).
The NCOC statement added that detailed reviews would will be carried out on May 27 and June 7.
Pakistan’s total caseload of confirmed virus cases currently stands at 886,184. At least 104 people lost their lives to the contagion in the last 24 hours, raising the nationwide death toll to 19,856.
The coronavirus positivity rate stands at 7.79%, while about 799,951 people across Pakistan have recovered.
The development came after a meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), a body mandated to take and implement Covid-19-related decisions. It is headed by planning and development minister Asad Umar.
The statement issued after the meeting attended by top officials, including provincial chief secretaries, said the forum allowed staggered re-opening of education institutes in districts with less than 5% positivity from June 7 (other than those reopened from May 24).
The NCOC said restaurants will remain open for outdoor dining from May 24 till 12 pm, whereas takeaways have been allowed 24×7.
It said the tourism sector will also be allowed to reopen under stringent Covid-19 protocols. “Separate instructions on protocols (are) being issued to all federating units,” it added.
Outdoor marriage ceremonies with a maximum of 150 individuals have also been allowed from June 1. However, a review in this regard will be undertaken on May 27.
The statement said that restrictions will continue to remain in place on shrines, cinemas, indoor dining, indoor gyms and amusement parks (except walking and jogging tracks), as well as the bans on contact sports, festivals, cultural and other events, all types of indoor and outdoor gatherings, and inter-provincial public transport for two closed days (Saturday and Sunday).
The NCOC statement added that detailed reviews would will be carried out on May 27 and June 7.
Pakistan’s total caseload of confirmed virus cases currently stands at 886,184. At least 104 people lost their lives to the contagion in the last 24 hours, raising the nationwide death toll to 19,856.
The coronavirus positivity rate stands at 7.79%, while about 799,951 people across Pakistan have recovered.
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