Daily Times

On countrywide resumption of academic activities from Tuesday onwards, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday assured that a safe learning environment for children was a priority.

“On Tuesday, we will welcome millions of children back to school. It is our priority and collective responsibility to ensure that every child can go to school safely to learn,” the prime minister tweeted as schools are set to reopen from today onwards following the government’s decision. The academic institutions were closed down in March as the country witnessed rising number of coronavirus cases. However, the decision for reopening was made as situation improved as result of the government’s smart lockdown strategy.

The prime minister said for the safety of children at schools, measures had been adopted to ensure a safe environment. “We have worked to ensure that school operations are aligned with public health safety rules on COVID-19,” he said.

The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) also urged the parents and teachers to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued for the safety of students amid reopening of the educational institutions across the country.

In a statement, the NCOC called upon the administrations of educational institutions to ensure proper implementation of health guidelines such as mask-wearing, social distancing to keep the coronavirus at bay.

“InshAllah, all educational institutions are being opened in phases from September 15. Parents and teachers are requested to pay special attention to the given safety guidelines while sending their children to schools,” it said, and asked the parents to abstain from sending children to school if they show signs of cough or illness. “If the condition is worse, the child should be tested immediately.”

“It should also be ensured that children wash their hands regularly or use a hand sanitizer. The bus drivers who take children to school or college should ensure social distance in their vehicles. They should make sure that the children were wearing face masks while aboard in the bus or car,” the NCOC said.

The total active Covid-19 cases in Pakistan on Monday were recorded at 5,831 as 539 more people tested positive for the deadly virus during the last 24 hours. Four corona patients, who were under treatment in hospitals, died, according to the latest update issued by the National command and Operation Centre (NCOC). No Covid-affected person is on ventilator in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Balochistan, while 98 ventilators elsewhere in Pakistan, out of 1,912 allocated for Covid-19 patients, are occupied.

Some 28,823 tests were conducted across the country, including 12,914 in Sindh, 8,319 in Punjab, 2,860 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 3,057 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 750 in Balochistan, 370 in Gilgit Baltistan (GB), and 553 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Around 289,806 people have recovered from the disease so far across Pakistan making it a significant count with over 90 percent recovery ratio of the affected patients.

The wife of PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz has been tested positive for coronavirus, after which she has quarantined herself. According to media reports, Shehbaz Sharif along with his family on Saturday visited Hamza Shehbaz in jail. After Hamza Shehbaz tested positive of the virus, the samples of all of the family members were sent to the laboratory. The wife of Hamza Shehbaz tested positive, after which she has quarantined herself in her house.

A senior journalist in Badin, Hanifzai, passed away due to the novel coronavirus on Monday. Hanifzai was suffering from coronavirus and was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Karachi, his son Ijaz confirmed. Hanifzai had been associated with a private for the past 13 years and had played an instrumental role in highlighting the issues of Badin and Tharparkar. The deceased’s body has been sent from Karachi to his native town Golarchi – where his last rituals will take place.