Govt to make wearing face masks in public mandatory

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza has said that the government will make wearing face masks mandatory in public places.

Talking to media Mirza said, “So far, the government has been recommending that citizens wear masks when visiting public places”. However, the government has now decided to make it mandatory as lockdowns have been eased, he added.

Earlier, Dr. Zafar Mirza said an anti-viral drug will be manufactured within two months and will also be available for COVID-19 patients in Pakistan.

“American company Gilead has manufactured this drug and it has proven effective in treating coronavirus patients,” he said. “It is said that the use of the drug has reduced the intensity of the virus by 30%.”

Dr Mirza said that five companies in the world had been granted the license to manufacture the drug including one Pakistani pharmaceutical company, calling it a “breakthrough step”. 

He said that Pakistan will be among the three countries in the world to produce and export the drug to 127 countries. “This is a big breakthrough and this is big news for coronavirus patients in Pakistan, who are increasing by the day and are expected to increase more,” he said.

US-based firm Gilead has signed non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements with five pharmaceutical manufacturers based in South Asia including Ferozsons Laboratories of Pakistan to further expand the supply of redelivering.