NCOC to review decision to reopen education institutes after COVID-19 surge

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood on Tuesday announced that the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) would meet on Wednesday (tomorrow) to review a decision on reopening of educational institutes, ARY NEWS reported.

“NCOC will meet tomorrow and education ministers from all provinces will participate in it,” said the education minister adding that a surge has been reported in COVID-19 cases in the past week.

He, however, said that the situating was not as alarming as it was in November and December- when the second COVID-19 wave hit the country, leading to the closure of the educational institutes.

“We will decide the future course of action during tomorrow’s meeting,” Shafqat Mahmood said.

It is pertinent to mention here that the NCOC meeting held on Monday under the supervision of the Federal Minister for Planning, Development Asad Umar mulled over deferring the opening up of cinemas, indoor weddings and dining in the restaurants amid rising coronavirus cases.

The forum also decided to revisit school opening modalities in the prevailing rising trend of positivity in its next session to be held in the first week of April. Cinemas, indoor weddings and dining in the restaurants were allowed by the government from March 15.

According to a state-owned news agency, the NCOC reviewed the rising positivity trend prevailing across the country and expressed its concerns over public complacency in following non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs or alternate measures to treat the disease other than medical treatment).

The NCOC meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar flanked by National Coordinator Lieutenant General Hamood Uz Zaman Khan discussed Covid-19 rising positivity trend and corresponding actions, vaccination progress and national vaccine strategy where the provincial representatives participated in the meeting through video link.