PM'S AIDE ON HEALTH CALLS FOR STRICT RESTRICTIONS TO TACKLE SECOND WAVE

AS coronavirus cases continue to increase, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan has warned that strict restrictions will be needed to get through the second wave of the novel virus.

Addressing a press conference, Dr Sultan said that “no government wishes to impose” restrictions on its people, but in order to combat that threat posed by the disease, certain steps need to be taken. He urged “local administrations to implement coronavirus SOPs [standard operating procedures]” and asked governments to fine those who were not abiding by the guidelines.

Furthermore, he said that there should be a reduction in business timings to curb the spread of the virus, similar to the manner in which the government had tackled the issue in the first wave. He also mentioned the fact that the government was considering setting up a hotline for people to call in and report cases of SOP violations.

Dr Sultan added that these restrictions would only be placed on cities with high positivity ratios. “Our focus — tightening coronavirus restrictions — will be more on the cities and areas where the positivity ratio of the virus is high,” he said. The positivity ratio across the country had surged to 2.5 per cent, and the number of cases being reported daily has gone up to 750. “Further details will be disclosed after deliberations with all provinces,” Dr Sultan added. Pakistan has recorded 329,375 coronavirus cases, 6,745 deaths, and 311,440 recoveries from the pandemic, according to official statistics.