NCOC Directs Provinces to Close Schools with High Covid Positivity Rate

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has advised provincial authorities to close educational institutions in areas with a high Covid-19 positive rate for at least one week.

The decision was made after NCOC – the country’s anti-Covid strategy’s nerve centre – announced in a statement on Friday that Covid testing in educational institutions was carried out in key Omicron-hit cities to ascertain virus spread among students and ensure accurate disease mapping.

“Data reveals a high association between vaccination levels and infection rate in various cities,” the report continued.

As a result, it has been agreed that vigorous coronavirus testing will be carried out in schools and other educational institutions during the next two weeks, particularly in cities with a high positivity rate.

“Education institutions/premises/sections/specific classes with high positive will be closed for one week,” according to the official communiqué.

The NCOC further stated that the provincial government, in cooperation with district health officials, education authorities, and school administrations, will establish a case threshold for determining school closures.

“Federating units will conduct special vaccination drives in schools to guarantee that all kids over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated,” it stated.

The NCOC announced new limits in cities with a Covid-19 positive ratio of more over 10% on Wednesday.

The meeting agreed to ban all sorts of indoor meetings, including dine-in and weddings, as well as all types of contact sports, in areas and cities where the Covid-19 positive rate topped 10%.

Outdoor weddings are limited to 300 fully vaccinated people in the Covid hotspots, but outdoor dining and takeaway are permitted. According to the NCOC, education initiatives have also been restricted in viral hotspots.

“Schools with kids under the age of 12 will have 50% attendance with a three-day per week schedule, but schools with students above the age of 12 would have 100% attendance,” the NCOC said, adding that vaccination was mandatory for all students above 12.

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