Additional Covid-19 curbs lifted in 18 districts of KP, Punjab: Asad

Federal Minister for Development, Planning and Special Initiatives Asad Umar announced on Tuesday the lifting of additional non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) in 18 of 24 districts where the restrictions were enforced earlier this month in the wake of high coronavirus prevalence.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) - the nerve centre of the country's Covid-19 response - said the decision had been taken after a decline was observed in coronavirus cases in the said districts.

Residents in these districts would now have to comply with

Covid-19 restrictions as in the rest of the country and no additional curbs, he said. The NCOC had enforced additional curbs in districts of Punjab, Khyber Pakthunkhwa and Islamabad on September 4.

The restrictions included a ban on indoor gatherings, closure of indoor gyms, ban on intercity transport and closure of educational institutions. Initially, the restrictions were to remain in place till September 12, but were later extended till September 15.

However, Umar said on Tuesday, the additional restrictions were being lifted in 18 districts earlier than planned after a decline was observed in coronavirus cases there. Meanwhile, the minister added, in six districts - Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Sargodha and

Bannu - where the prevalence of Covid-19 remained comparatively higher than the rest of the country, additional restrictions would remain till September 15 but with some changes.

Elaborating on changes in the restrictions, he said intercity transport would be allowed with 50 per cent occupancy, schools would reopen with 50pc attendance, outdoor dining would be allowed till midnight but there would be a complete ban on indoor dining and gyms and amusement parks could allow entry to fully vaccinated citizens. He further stated that amusement parks would be allowed to operate at 50pc capacity. The minister added that outdoor gatherings of up to 400 guests will be allowed in the six districts, but indoor gatherings would be prohibited.

The minister further announced that Covid-19 restrictions elsewhere in the country were being extended till September 30 the deadline for eligible individuals to get fully vaccinated.

He said that while the pandemic situation seemed encouraging as there had been a decline in coronavirus cases, vaccination needed to be paced up.

He recalled that the authorities had set a target of vaccinating 40pc of the eligible population in 24 big cities of the country by the end of this month, adding that that "target may be difficult but not impossible".

"If we meet the target, we would be able to further relax restrictions by the end of September," Umar said. "[And] this is the only way out."