TAXILA: The federal and provincial governments are ready to face the challenge of Covid-19, and all possible quarantine and treatment facilities will be provided to confirmed patients, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said.

Speaking to the press after visiting a quarantine centre set up at the Government College of Technology and the University of Engineering and Technology in Taxila, Mr Khan said the government had taken measures to cope with the international challenge of the novel coronavirus in the interest and for the protection of the people of Pakistan.

The aforementioned quarantine centre can accommodate 600 people; three hostels are being vacated from male and female students to be handed over to the local administration to set up quarantine facilities according to government directives.

The remaining hostels will be vacated in a later phase and converted into quarantine centres as well. A third centre has been set up at the Hitec University where 70 rooms have been vacated to accommodate around 140 suspected patients.

Taxila, Wah observe lockdown on Sunday

Mr Khan said health authorities are fully functional and all the available resources will be used to deal with any potential situation. The public should take the utmost precautions in the current situation, he added.

In response to a question, he said that entry into the territorial limits of the country will not be permitted without an authentic negative RT-PCR test for Covid-19. All airlines are required to comply with this requirement, he said, adding that the condition will remain in place until April 4. All domestic departments at airports are also required to undergo screening before being allowed to board, he said.

The minister appealed to the public to cooperate fully with the district administration in the implementation of the government’s directives.

A complete lockdown was also observed in Taxila and Wah on Sunday, with almost all markets and shops closed and police and other law enforcement authorities patrolling to ensure the lockdown was not violated.

Rawalpindi Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood also visited the quarantine centre set up at UET earlier, as well as the centre established in a private school in Ratwal, the Kheri Moorat dam in Fatehjang and the Government Technical College in Attock. He ordered for all the issues regarding absence of facilities at the centresto be addressed.

In Attock Provincial Revenue Minister retired Col Mohammad Anwar Khan chaired a meeting on Covid-19 prevention measures at the deputy commissioner’s office.

Attock Deputy Commissioner Ali Anan Qamar briefed the minister on steps taken in the district, saying that there are 73 quarantine centres set up to tackle an outbreak.

Mr Khan emphasised the need for people to participate in social distancing, use face masks and hand sanitiser and wash their hands intermittently. He said people should not shake hands, adding that the best way to protect against the coronavirus is to be cautious and take the utmost precautions. Unnecessary visits to public places should be avoided, and all the precautions announced by the Punjab and federal government should be implemented.

Rescue 1122 teams in Attock, Hazro and Hassanabdal sprayed disinfectant at bus stands and on main roads as well.

Deputy Commissioner Mr Qamar on Sunday praised the public response and that of the traders’ community in response to the government’s orders to suspend social and trade activities in the district.

Speaking to the press at his office on Sunday, he said: “The masses as well as traders community have responded well to the three-day lockdown announced by the Punjab government and this reflects a positive and responsible attitude of the people towards a national cause of controlling the coronavirus.”

He said labourers and daily-wage workers would certainly suffer in a lockdown, and called on philanthropists and well-off people to help those who need it by providing them with dry rations or cooked meals.

While discussing Covid-19 patients, he said no cases have been reported in the district so far, but the administration has taken all the measures necessary to handle any untoward situation.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2020