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Tag: National Command and Operation Centre

  • Shopkeepers to implement ‘no mask, no service’; NCOC discusses easing lockdown

    Shopkeepers to implement ‘no mask, no service’; NCOC discusses easing lockdown

    ISLAMABAD: Market associations to be engaged for implementation of COVID-19 guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for prevention the spread of coronavirus.

    This was discussed at a meeting of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) held on chaired by Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umer.

    Umer said that the shopkeepers should strictly implement “no mask, no service” policy.

    Asad Umer directed the NCOC to concentrate on the plan to ease the lockdown while strictly implementing the Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs).
    The forum suggested taking strict punitive action on violation of SOPs.

    It must be noted that NCOC is working to devise a long and short term strategy on COVID-19 titled “Living with the Pandemic”.

    Asad Umar directed the pursuing of a vigorous mass awareness campaign to highlight the measures taken by the government to contain COVID-19 and underscore its achievements in this regard.

    The campaign should focus on ensuring behaviour change of the people regarding COVID-19 while also underlining that the main aim of the government was to safeguard the people from the pandemic.

    Expressing satisfaction over the availability of ventilators in countrywide hospitals, Asad Umar directed the concerned to provide latest information about the availability of beds and other related facilities for the information of the infected people.

    The forum was told that the Resource Management System (RMS) would be rolled out across country from the 1st of June.

    Under this system, the hospitals would also share the details of local resources available to them, total admitted patients, denial of admissions, no of beds and ventilators available, as well as other facilities being provided to them.

    Dr Zafar Mirza said that his Ministry was planning to mobilise retired doctors of public sector hospitals, young doctors, doctors on house jobs, and final year medical students to cope with the situation.

    Moreover, new doctors and paramedics would be recruited through walk-in interviews. The forum was apprised that the provinces had been asked to ensure community mobilisation and set up call Centres in their respective areas by June 15.

    The forum was told that Sindh and Balochistan governments were not agreeing on imposing smart lockdown. Instead, they preferred the home quarantine policy.

    The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Brig (Retd) Syed Ijaz Ahmed Shah, Minister for National Food Security and Research Fakhar Imam, Minister for Economic Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yousaf and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza.

  • NCOC recommends shutting educational institutions till August

    NCOC recommends shutting educational institutions till August

    ISLAMABAD: National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Saturday recommended that the educational institutions should be kept closed till August as the summer season and pandemic would be at its peak on July 15, 2020.

    The NCOC sought provinces’ feedback on negative list aiming to finalize the recommendations of opening some more sectors of the economy halted due to COVID-19 outbreak.

    A meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar was held at the NCOC to discuss the long and short term strategy on COVID-19 titled “Living with the Pandemic”.

    The forum emphasized the need to revise its communication strategy for better messaging and public outreach on the COVID-19 issue.

    Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar said that the restaurants under the negative list would have to completely close their services or partially initiate its functions with only take away services.

    The forum insisted that the marriage halls should only be allowed with limited number of guests, one dish and strict compliance of standard operating procedures (SOPs).

    Asad Umar directed the concerned authorities to calculate economic impacts of coronavirus pandemic in the first quarter of current calendar year.

    The NCOC stressed that capacity building and restructuring of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination should be done as per approval by the federal cabinet.

    The forum was also apprised that the critical care resources would be increased owing to the surging risk of the pandemic.

    The forum was told that the testing capacity of COVID-19 was being increased to 672,000 tests.

    Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Khusroo Bakhtiar said that National Integrated Management System should be put in place for better coordination between the federal and the provinces.

    Dr Zafar Mirza said that although wearing of masks was mandatory, no punitive action was being taken against the violators.

    The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Brig (R) Syed Ejaz Ahmad Shah, Minister for National Food Security and Research Fakhar Imam, Minister for Economic Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, SAPM for Information and Broadcasting and Chairman China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority Lt. Gen (R) Asim Saleem Bajwa, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yousaf, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Digital Pakistan Tania Aidrus.

  • Hot, humid weather drops COVID-19 transmission rate: Pakistan Met

    Hot, humid weather drops COVID-19 transmission rate: Pakistan Met

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has identified that COVID-19 transmission rate declined due to rise in temperature and humidity.

    The PMD on Saturday told the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) that its study had found a decline in COVID-19 transmission rate related to rise in temperature and humidity.

    The PMD official briefed the NCOC meeting headed by Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar through video link about the findings of its research conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health Services, Regulations and Coordination.

    He added that a deep study of the pandemic outbreak pattern showed that the coronavirus spread mostly occurred in the mid latitude which had cold and dry weather.

    No single case was reported in the tropical belt during the first three weeks of the contagion rise.

    “Increase in temperature from 3-5 degrees mainly beyond 30 degree and mean humidity over 50 degree would slow down the virus transmission,” he noted.

    The Forum was also apprised about the testing regime adopted at the airports to contain the epidemic spread.

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf said that there was 90 percent local transmission of COVID-19 at the moment and only ten percent were foreign induced.

    He said there was no testing done of the air travelers at the airports in many of the countries rather they were putting the masses under self-quarantine.

    The forum made detailed discussion on the issue with the provinces where the provincial chief secretaries agreed to the idea of abolishing testing on arrival of the passengers and agreed for a strict and proper screening of the passengers arriving at the airports.

    The forum including provincial chief secretaries condoled the demise of the passengers of PIA aircraft crashed in Karachi.