The Punjab government on Tuesday decided to procure Covid-19 vaccines by allocating Rs1.5 billion funds following the approval of the cabinet committee on combating coronavirus. The Punjab’s cabinet committee on Covid-19 reviewed the measures for curbing the spread of the virus, besides mulling over further steps to protect the lives. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said that Rs1.5 billion have been allocated for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccine and directed the concerned authorities to take immediate steps for the purchases under the regulations. A suggestion was forwarded before the cabinet committee to shut all public activities at 6:00pm excluding the medical stores, fuel stations and vaccination centres across the province. The chief minister directed to form a committee to thoroughly review the suggestion before taking a final decision. He announced that gyms will be closed across Punjab, whereas staff of all offices will be reduced to 50 percent. He added that electro-surgery was also closed in all hospitals. He directed relevant authorities to take maximum efforts for uninterrupted oxygen supplies to the hospitals on the prescribed rates of the government and also ordered crackdowns against those selling oxygen cylinders on high rates and hoarders. During the session, the committee approved the appointment of data entry operators and vaccinators. The chief minister said that the authorities must have taken strict steps for the implementation of Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).