LAHORE: As schools and colleges will open from Jan 18, the Punjab health department has expressed concerns that coronavirus rate may increase if SOPs are not fully implemented in educational institutions.

In the wake of this situation, the cabinet committee on coronavirus on Wednesday reviewed the situation and agreed that a review meeting would be held on Feb 8 as the schools’ opening period would be entering the fourth week.

The cabinet committee on coronavirus meeting at chief minister’s secretariat was chaired by Law Minister Basharat Raja and attended by Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, School Education Minister Murad Raas, Higher Education Minister Raja Yasir Humayun, Industries Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, the chief secretary and secretaries of primary health, specialised health and other departments.

The primary health secretary stated the number of new coronavirus patients increased during the last week while the rate of new patients in the province averaged five percent in the last one month. The secretary stated that the coronavirus infection rate in Lahore was 10 percent, Rawalpindi seven percent and Faisalabad five percent last month.

The committee took a special look at the coronavirus pandemic with reference to the opening of educational institutions from next week.

Mr Raja said the recommendations of education and health departments would be sent to the federal government for further considerations. He said it was a matter of great concern that a majority of the people were still not implementing SOPs. If schools, colleges, markets, bazaars and marriage halls are to be kept open then everyone should follow SOPs, Mr Raja asserted.

The law minister directed the information department and the health department to conduct large-scale awareness campaigns against coronavirus in educational institutions and among the public.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2021