Punjab eases Covid restrictions, allows cinemas, indoor dine-in

LAHORE: Punjab government has decided to ease COVID restrictions in the province, allowing cinemas, indoor dine-in, shrines, amusement parks, and swimming pools to operate from July 01, ARY NEWS reported on Wednesday.

According to the Punjab health department, cinemas have been allowed to operate from July 01 and could remain open until 01:00 am. However, anyone visiting the cinemas should be vaccinated, as per the guideline issued by the NCOC.

Following the NCOC orders, the business centres are allowed to operate until 10:00 pm while petrol pumps and medical stores will remain open round the clock.

The health department also allowed outdoor dine-in, besides also permitting 50 attendance for indoor dine-in. However, only those having vaccinated could avail of the indoor dine-in facility as hotels and restaurants have been asked to devise mechanisms in this regard.

Around 400 guests have been allowed to attend the outdoor marriage ceremonies as per the new guidelines issued by the health department adding that 200 vaccinated people could attend the indoor marriage ceremony.

The shrines have been allowed to open with strict COVID SOPs, however, cultural, religious, and other gatherings will remain banned.

Public transport is allowed to operate with 70 per cent attendance while amusement parks, swimming pools will operate with 50 per cent attendance as per the new COVID SOPs issued by the health department.

It is pertinent to mention here that the ease in COVID restrictions has been allowed after the positivity ratio in the province has reached 0.8 per cent.

“The positivity ratio in Lahore stands at 1.4 per cent, 0.5 per cent in Rawalpindi, 0.6 per cent in Faisalabad, and 0.8 per cent in Multan,” the health department shared.