ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) today (Friday) formulated COVID-19 guidelines for implementation at marriage halls, restricting the wedding functions to only two hours.
According to a statement issued in this regard, the new guidelines were formed after in-depth deliberations and have been shared with the provinces for strict implementation to contain the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
The authority claimed that marriage halls have the potential to increase the coronavirus positivity rate at a national level if standard operating procedures (SOPs) are not followed.
Under the new guidelines, apart from the limits imposed on the timings, the authority has restricted the number of individuals at indoor weddings to 300 and outdoor gatherings to 500.
“The event should last two hours only and wrap up by 10pm. If found to be violating SOPs, marriage halls should be closed for a specific time and be fined,” the notification stated.
The NCOC recommended that hall managements follow the SOPs strictly to ensure the infection does not spread during wedding functions. The NCOC discouraged large-scale public gatherings, saying they have the potential to cause an exponential increase in the coronavirus.
The NCOC said that large scale public gatherings are currently banned in most countries. “However, if some public gatherings are unavoidable, then these must be organised with strict compliance of SOPs,” the statement said, adding that the National Coordination Committee was currently deliberating on these guidelines.
