Health department recommends complete lockdown in Karachi for 15 days

KARACHI: The Sindh health department has called for a complete lockdown in Karachi for 15 days as the recommendation will be tabled in the COVID task force meeting headed by Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah today, ARY NEWS reported on Friday.

“There should be a complete lockdown in Karachi for 15 days,” the health department said in its advice to stem COVID spread in the metropolis, where the COVID positivity ratio has reached 30 percent.

It further called for a complete ban on transport from provincial districts and provinces in Karachi for 15 days besides also recommending the closure of schools, colleges, and universities.

The health department also called for adopting more strict measures to get the public vaccinated.

The federal government has however opposed the idea of closing down the entire cities with the head of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) Asad Umar saying total lockdown in a city is not a solution to the rampaging Covid-19 pandemic.

The Sindh government is proactively taking steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Federal Minister for Planning and Development said on Thursday.

“As and when the lockdown restrictions ease, the virus rapidly spreads,” Umar said. “Proper enforcement and compliance of the SOPs could help in success against the pandemic,” NCOC head said.

Umar assured every possible cooperation to the government of Sindh for implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the province including deployment of military troops and Rangers.

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.