The new rules came into force today after Eid al-Adha celebrations, which according to experts will lead to a new increase in cases. The Pfizer vaccine has been approved for children who have undergone transplants. The country now has reported more than a million cases.
Sindh (AsiaNews) – The health situation continues to worsen in Pakistan, as the number of new cases is expected to rise following the recent celebrations for Eid al-Adha, the Islamic festival of sacrifice.
In Sindh, Pakistan’s most affected province, new restrictive measures came into force today. Provincial authorities recently took the decision after the positivity rate exceeded 10 per cent.
Under the new rules, shopping malls, large shops and big businesses will be able to operate only from 6 am to 6 pm, while stand-alone grocery stores, pharmacies, and small businesses will be exempt from this rule and can continue their activities.
Schools will remain closed until 31 July, but exams will be held as scheduled. Public and private offices will function at 50 per cent of staff. Employees in all companies will have to be vaccinated.
Before the religious holiday, the government had called on Pakistanis to scale back family gatherings, avoid large groups in mosques, and reduce interpersonal contacts during Eid.
Dr Faisal Sultan, special health assistant to the prime minister, had asked that the celebrations take place in a “closed, limited” environment.
On the first day of the celebration, last Thursday, no cases were reported, but the next day, the number jumped to 4,660.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than a million confirmed cases have been reported in the country, with 22,939 deaths.
Meanwhile, the Corona Experts Advisory Group has approved the administration of the Pfizer vaccine to children who have undergone liver, kidney or bone marrow transplants.
Dr Daniel Bashir, a Catholic physician from Karachi, explained that Pakistan has become the 30th country in the world with more than a million cases.
“This is an alarming situation,” he said. “I hope people will understand” how serious things are.