ISLAMABAD: With only 20 percent vaccine-eligible people fully vaccinated in Pakistan, mobility goes to become difficult for non-vaccinated people from Friday (today).
According to data shared by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Thursday, 1,742 new cases of Covid-19 and 39 deaths caused by the disease were reported during a single day. the number of active cases was 47,832.
According to decisions of the NCOC, from Oct 1 only fully vaccinated people are going to be allowed to remain in the transportation business of scholars and school-related supplies. Similarly, only fully vaccinated people are going to be allowed to enter and add shopping malls.
Moreover, only fully vaccinated people would be allowed domestic and international aviation and restriction are going to be both for inbound and outbound travelers.
However, to become eligible to travel in trains and buses people will need to be fully vaccinated by Oct 15. Similarly, only fully vaccinated people would be allowed to travel on highways and motorways after October 15.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of National Health Services Sajid Shah told Dawn that vaccine was available and thousands of vaccination centers were open within the country so people couldn’t be allowed to play with the health of others by remaining unvaccinated.
Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that only fully vaccinated travelers aged 18 and above would be permitted to fly within Pakistan.
He said during a tweet: “With effect from October 1, 2021, only fully vaccinated passengers aged 18 and above are going to be allowed to undertake domestic aviation within Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued fresh Covid-19 vaccination guidelines on aviation to and from and within Pakistan.
It said unvaccinated Pakistani people between 15 and 18 years of age would be allowed domestic aviation up to All Saints’ Day. Partial vaccination requirements would apply to them from All Saints’ Day and full vaccination requirements from December 1.
The CAA said Pakistani passengers but 15 years of age would be allowed domestic aviation without vaccination requirement.
Foreigners/ foreign passport holders but 18 years aged are going to be allowed travel within Pakistan without vaccination requirement.
Passengers medically advised against Covid-19 vaccination and holding a certificate from a classified specialist doctor also will be allowed to travel on domestic flights without a vaccination certificate.
And foreigners or foreign passport holders who have traveled to Pakistan before October 1 are going to be allowed to continue their domestic aviation without a vaccination certificate.
PMA concerned over dengue
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has expressed concern over the rising cases of dengue within the country as, consistent with it, confirmed cases of dengue virus are reported in thousands altogether provinces.
“The situation is extremely alarming and that we fear that it’s going to become epidemic. Thank God that at this stage number of cases of Covid-19 is decreasing but these could increase if people don’t follow SOPs. Our weaker health delivery system cannot take the pressure of another outbreak of disease so government should immediately take preventive measures to regulate dengue,” the PMA said during a press statement. “Notably, dengue may be a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. The weather within the region remains suitable for the spread of the infection and for growth of ‘aedes aegypti’, the mosquito that causes dengue. The symptoms of dengue appear three to 14 days after infection and should include high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle, and joint pains, eye pain, bones pain,” it said.
PMA Secretary General Dr. Qaiser Sajjad said that each one government department should work jointly against dengue for positive results.
“Anti-mosquito spray with regular intervals, particularly on stagnant water, should be done. Spray should even be done inside and out of doors of the hospitals, schools, offices, plant nurseries and gardens, tire repair shops, etc. Government should establish good quality laboratories for diagnoses of all kinds of viral diseases at big public sector hospitals and also make arrangements for the collection of blood samples (collection centers) at their different link hospitals and dispensaries. Private hospitals should reduce the many prices of platelets and laboratory charges required for dengue tests,” he said.
