RWP Achieves 60 Percent COVID-19 Vaccination Target : Lockdown SOPs Extended

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Aug, 2021 ) :Chief Executive Officer(CEO)District Health Authority Dr Faiza Kanwal has that around 1,938,276 people had received their dose in the district out of the total population of 3.2 million.

Talking to APP, She said free of cost doses were being administered at the COVID-19 centres, while the vaccination was the only way to control the spread of the corona pandemic.

Meanwhile, in a bid to curtail the spread of coronavirus in the wake of the 4th wave of the pandemic, the Primary and Secondary Health Care Commission, Punjab extended the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for bazaars and public places in four cities of the province including Rawalpindi.

According to the notification, which would be remained in force until September 15, all business centres would be closed by 8.00 pm while no business would be allowed on Saturdays and Sundays.

It said medical services, pharmacies, vaccination centres collection points and laboratories would remain open round the clock and seven days a week. Similarly, grocery and general stores, flour chakkis, dairy shops, fruit and vegetable shops, tandoors and petrol pumps would also remain unaffected.

The new schedule will not apply to tyre puncture shops, filling plants, workshops, spare-part shops and shops selling agricultural equipment and machinery.

According to the notification, normal office working hours for public and private offices will continue with 50 per cent staff. Indoor weddings would be banned while outdoor weddings would be allowed with a maximum of 300 guests till 10 pm under strict protocols.

Similarly, indoor dining will be strictly prohibited at cafes and restaurants while outdoor dining would be allowed till 10 pm under strict COVID SOPs; only takeaways will be allowed. It said that shrines and cinema halls would remain completely shut while there would be a complete ban on contact sports including Karate, water polo, kabaddi etc.

Rail service will continue to operate with 70 per cent occupancy while the occupancy level of public transport was reduced from 70% to 50 per cent.

The policy of controlled tourism would be continued for vaccinated people while it would be mandatory for citizens to wear facemasks at public places.

Meanwhile according to the latest data released by the District Health Authority here Sunday, as many as 208 more COVID-19 positive cases were reported during the last 24 hours, raising the tally of confirmed cases to 34,582 in the district while three people lost their battle of life against the deadly virus.

The total infected cases included 31,894 from Rawalpindi and 2688 from other districts. The report said among the new cases,52 reported from Rawal town,27 from Potohar town,43 from Rawalpindi Cantt,18 from Kalar Syeda,19 from Murree,21 from Taxila, seven from Gujar Khan, five from Kahutta and Attock each, four each from Chakwal and Islamabad while one each case was reported from Kotli sattian, AJK and Jehlum.

"Presently 197 confirmed patients were admitted to various city facilities, counting 22 in Holy Family Hospital, 29 in Benazir Bhutto Hospital,89 in Institute of Urology,44 in Fauji Foundation Hospital, five in Bilal hospital, four in district headquarter hospital and two each in Begum Akhtar Memorial trust and Hearts International hospital," the health authority report said. Ten patients were on ventilators in critical condition,79 stable and 108 on oxygen, the report informed, adding the positivity ratio during the past 24 hours was recorded at 8.9 per cent in the district. District Health Authority updated that so far 31,402 patients were discharged after recovery while 3987 were quarantined including 2097 at home and 1890 in isolation centres.

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