LAHORE: The Punjab Apex Committee has decided to strictly implement the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) to protect people from the lethal third wave of the virus with exponentially high infectivity rate and related deaths in the province.

The 22 cities of the province showing more than eight percent infectivity rate would be under a strict watch for the SOPs’ implementation, it decided.

The Apex Committee meeting presided over by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and attended by military high command, provincial ministers and civil officers at the chief minister’s secretariat on Wednesday constituted a cabinet committee to take stock of the coronavirus situation and order corrective measures on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, sharing with the media the Apex Committee meeting outcomes, Mr Buzdar said pressure on the health facilities was increasing to saturation level, demand for oxygen growing massively, and the number of patients on ventilators increasing at an alarming rate.

127 Covid deaths, 2,600 new cases in Punjab

He said as many as 127 people died from the coronavirus and 2,600 new infections were reported during the past 24 hours in Punjab, adding that the total number of Covid deaths in the province had reached 8,224.

The chief minister said there were reports of hoarding and black-marketing of oxygen cylinders, warning of strict action against the unscrupulous elements involved in it.

Mr Buzdar said the Apex Committee also directed the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) to look into the complaints of over-charging of Corona patients by private hospitals in the province.

In order to create a shield against the coronavirus infections, he said the Punjab government had granted approval for procurement of vaccine worth Rs1.5 billion from its own resources, besides the doses coming from the federal government.

He said Punjab had so far vaccinated over a million people and increased the number of vaccination centres to 136 in the province to facilitate people. He said the Apex Committee also gave its nod for recruitment of more vaccinators and data entry operators.

The chief minister stressed that people should cooperate with the government and law enforcement agencies by wearing facemasks and observing social distance.

He said the coronavirus infectivity rate had touched 38 per cent in Khanewal, 32pc in Okara, 24pc in Sahiwal, 23pc in Lahore, 20pc in Vehari, 18pc in Mianwali, 16pc in Narowal, 15pc in Multan, 12pc in Sargodha and 11pc in Rawalpindi.

Health professionals would be given special allowance for serving during the pandemic as was given earlier, he announced.

Answering questions, the chief minister said the vaccine doses were in short supply worldover and India too was facing a dearth of Covid jabs despite being one of the largest producers of vaccine in the world.

Mr Buzdar said new timings had been announced for businesses and offices and would be enforced strictly. He said snap-checking was being conducted in busy market areas and action taken against the violators of the SOPs.

To a question about calling army in the province for the SOPs implementation, Mr Buzdar said armed forces do help the civil administration worldover in extraordinary situations.

Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said the people could now avail the facility of vaccination at home for the elderly and those suffering any disability with over 65 years of age.

The Apex Committee meeting was attended by Lahore Corps Commander Gen Muhammad Abdul Aziz, General Officer Commanding, 10-Div, Maj-Gen Muhammad Aneequr Rehman Malik, DG Rangers, Punjab, Maj-Gen Muhammad Amir Majeed, provincial ministers Basharat Raja, SACM Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, chief secretary, additional chief secretary, inspector general of police (IGP) and other officers.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2021