The National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) has decided to review the decision to reopen schools amid the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country. There have been fears of a third wave of COVID-19 ever since schools and wedding halls were opened and the implementation of safety precautions has not been taken seriously.
We are still in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic as the number of cases is nearing the 600,000 mark and the death toll has crossed 13,200. The government was considering was reopen cinemas, indoor weddings and even indoor dining but it will have to reconsider its decision as cases surge.
Last month, the education minister took the hasty decision to reopen schools in major cities with routine classes five days a week due to declining number of cases. But the trend has been reversing ever since and the special adviser on health issued a stark reminder that the pandemic is not over. Schools and educational institutes were closed for nearly a year and students has switched to online learning. They were just a month ago but days later the government will have to take the crucial decision whether to shut them down again.
The government has started the second phase of the coronavirus vaccination programme aimed at senior citizens. However, the inoculation drive has been affected by delays as the nation has been unable to procure more doses. Pakistan is now set to receive the first consignment of 45 million jabs from GAVI health alliance and more are expected from China. This is a long, painstaking process and is unlikely to win the fight against the pandemic any time soon.
As the coronavirus cases are rising across the country, the government has already announced to resume all activities as normal from March 15. This has increased fears of the third wave of coronavirus which could aggravate the situation. Pakistan has suffered loss of lives, economic losses and the annulment of events like PSL due to the pandemic and yet the crisis is far from over. We need to take even more precautions and enforce strict safety precautions against the disease.
