14-day lockdown in Sindh likely as Covid beleaguers health sector

KARACHI: As COVID continues to up the ante against the province’s capacity to fight its speedy spread and to cope with challenges such as exhausting public hospital beds, Sindh’s Covid task force is set to meet later Friday to deliberate suggestions for a complete lockdown over the fortnight, ARY News reported.

The provincial health department has called for a complete lockdown ahead of the decisive task force meeting today convened by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. The meeting will be attended by all provincial ministers, health experts and parliamentary leaders to huddle over possible solutions to the raging pandemic.

It is also expected that lockdown shall be extended to the educational institutions for the same period of time.

Total lockdown in a city no solution to covid-19 pandemic: Asad Umar

Total lockdown in a city is not the solution to the rampaging Covid-19 pandemic, head of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) Asad Umar said in a press briefing as the ideas of Sindh lockdown were floated in the preliminary meeting of the task force.

NCOC chief said that vaccination is the only solution to get rid of the pandemic. “Vaccination drive is ongoing in all parts of Pakistan. We have set a new record of maximum vaccination by administering over 8.5 Lac vaccine shots in a day, yesterday,” Umar said.

Sindh govt plans complete lockdown in Karachi as positivity ratio reaches 30pc

It was initially reported earlier this week that the Sindh government mulled over strict measures including imposing a lockdown as COVID positivity ratio reached 30 per cent in the national business hub.

According to sources privy to the details, the positivity ratio has reached 30 pc in the metropolis forcing the provincial authorities to mull over strict measures in order to avoid a catastrophe.