PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan ordered the authorities concerned to ensure strict lockdown from May 8 to May 16 in line with the recommendations of National Command and Operation Centre as the province recorded 40 deaths and 792 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday.

The chief minister told a meeting of provincial task force on Covid-19 that all the business and markets would remain closed except the exempted outlets providing essential services, according to a statement.

The meeting, attended by provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Shahram Tarakai, Shaukat Yousafzai and Kamran Bangash and Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood, Chief Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz and Inspector General of Police Dr Sanaullah Abbasi, also decided that Jummatul Wida and Eid prayers would be performed under strict standard operating procedure.

The chief minister stressed the need for strict implementation of precautionary measures to contain spread of virus. He appealed to the people to follow coronavirus SOPs, observe Eid with simplicity and stay at their homes.

“Each and every segment of the society would have to play part to effectively contain the recent wave of the pandemic because negligence can land us in a big problem,” he said.

Mobile vaccination service launched for senior citizens

Exemption has been granted to vehicles of petroleum exploration and production companies. In order to facilitate the citizens to go back to their home, it was decided to keep public transport open on coming Saturday and Sunday.

The meeting also decided to impose complete ban on visit to tourist spots of the province during the lockdown. In case of violation, the visitors would not only be sent back but would also be fined. The meeting was apprised that special arrangements were made to ensure provision and availability of essential daily use commodities to people during the lockdown.

The chief minister also inaugurated Mobile Corona Vaccination Service to vaccinate senior citizens in their own localities against Covid-19. Initially, three mobile teams will be deployed on different routes on the suburbs of provincial capital. The service will be extended to other districts of the province to provide vaccination facility to people at their doorsteps.

The people having 60 years or above age will be administered vaccine through mobile vaccination service to save them from the viral disease.

On the occasion, the chief minister termed the health of citizens top priority of government and said that vaccination of citizens against Covid-19 was underway in hospitals and vaccination centres.

He said that 25,000 people were being administered vaccine on daily basis while target of vaccination of 60,000 people per day was set for the current month that would be extended to 100,000 persons in near future.

The chief minister said that mobile vaccination service was launched for the facilitation of senior citizens, who were unable to visit hospitals or vaccination centres. He urged people to get vaccinated to save themselves and their loved ones from the pandemic.

A report by health department said that tally of mortalities due to the infection reached 3,537 and the number of cases rose to 1 22,520 with new deaths and infections reported during the last 24 hours.

It said that the number of recoveries from the ailment reached 108,462. Thirteen persons died of the virus in Peshawar, eight in Swat, five in Kohat, two each in Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan and Mardan and one each in Bannu, Abbottabad, Chitral Lower, Bajaur, Malakand, Buner, Shangla, Swabi and Charsadda.

Peshawar continues to remain epicentre of the virus since the advent of the pandemic in the province. It has so far recorded 46,749 cases with 209 new ones registered during the last 24 hours.

Mardan recorded 103 fresh patients, Swabi 71, Swat 68, Nowshera 47, Kohat 38, Malakand 30, Bannu and Dir Lower 23 each and Buner registered 22 new cases. All the districts reported cases in ones and twos but the mainstay of the virus remained Peshawar, Mardan and Swat.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2021