Islamabad: Pakistan’s National Institute of Health (NIH) has advised strict adherence to COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which include mask-wearing, hand sanitisation and social distancing during Muharram gatherings as the first month of Islamic calendar started on Sunday.
In view of these gatherings, the NIH has also posted a public message on its twitter handle saying, “Adherence to SOPs is the only way to protect yourself against COVID-19. Wear mask, adhere to social distancing and get yourself vaccinated!”
According to the NIH, during the last 24 hours, 661 new cases of COVID-19 after 20,080 tests were carried out across the country.
After the new cases, COVID-19 positivity rate in Pakistan reached 3.29 per cent and the number of total COVID-19 cases is counted as 1,553,386.
Meanwhile, the country reported only a single death from COVID-19 overnight, the NIH twitter handle said.
The NIH data further showed that among COVID-19 patients, 171 were in critical condition and being treated at critical care units at different medical facilities across the country.
SOPs for gatherings
The NIH has restricted elderly people and children from attending gatherings and majlis during Ashura, as the risk of another outbreak looms with the uptick of cases across Pakistan.
According to these guidelines:
• Mask wearing, social distancing and use of sanitizers/ hand washing should be adhered to.
• Organizing committees of such gatherings should make arrangements to implement all COVID-19 SOPs.
• Venues for conduct of religious gatherings should remain open and spacious with proper ventilation arrangements.
• Controlled participation according to the capacity of venues and avoidance of overcrowding.
• Gathering at homes and private places should be discouraged.
• Elderly people above 65 years and children and co-morbid people may be stopped from attending the gatherings.
• Proper arrangements for cleaning venues with chlorine before and after the events.
• Display of COVID-19 SOPs and precautions at prominent places.
• Religious leaders/clerics are requested to spread awareness messages and to ensure uniform implementation of SOPs /guidelines proposed by NIH.
• There will be no handshake nor embracing among the participants of the religious gatherings.
The district administration and police have been directed to ensure strict implementation of the COVID-19 SOPs/guidelines.
