NCOC rolls out guidelines for public gatherings amid COVID-19 case hike

ISLAMABAD: National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) in its meeting on Tuesday to formulate a strategy amid rising COVID-19 cases has rolled out its guidelines on public gatherings, ARY News reported.

NCOC said it prepared the guidelines, to be followed across the board in order to limit the spread of novel coronavirus as its second wave rears its head, keeping in view the advice of all the provinces.

According to the guidelines, or the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), marriage halls and sporting events will remain exempt from the latest restrictions while all the other gatherings will be bound to follow them.

It noted that any assembly of people whether indoors or outdoors will be considered as public gatherings and the SOPs will be applicable on them, while it stated that assemblies that are unavoidable should take place on spots where the SOP discipline is attainable.

READ: NCOC recommends banning public gatherings

The NCOC said in order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 any sort of public gathering should be discouraged and said that barring economic activities, it is better if no gatherings are held at all.

Stating the SOPs, the NCOC said any indoors public gathering that is allowed by the district administration should conclude within three hours while the social distancing of at least three feet must be ensured amongst the participants of gatherings and mandated that all of those present must remain settled down.

Of the gatherings outdoors, the NCOC said that social distancing guidelines and a time limit of three hours will be applicable on these, too.

However, keeping in mind the fast spread of COVID-19 into its second wave, the NCOC has clearly mentioned that it will place a ban on any public event(s) that causes the spread to rise.