The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has granted permission to the provinces to begin regular classes of matric and intermediate students from May 31. The forum met with Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar in the chair. It decided that the examinations for classes 10 and 12 will be held between June 23 to July 29. The provinces can start preparatory classes for students of 10 and 12 from May 31, but they should be conducted with coronavirus SOPs intact – on alternate days, said the forum. The NCOC, making vaccination mandatory for teachers and other staff of educational institutions, said the inoculation should be completed by June 10, in a bid to curb the spread of the disease during examinations. The forum has opened walk-in vaccinations for teachers and other staff above 18 years of age, who can get themselves inoculated from the nearest medical facility. “The forum expressed general satisfaction on the overall situation in the country. However, cautioned regarding high disease prevalence in Sindh,” a post-meeting statement said. The forum, imposing restrictions on travellers from UAE, made it mandatory for them to bring along negative PCR test results from authorised laboratories and said that in case of violations, airlines would be fined for accepting the tests. The statement said the step was being taken to ensure no passenger enters the country with a fake Covid-19 test. Similarly, on arrival, passengers will be tested once more. From June 1, no tourist above the age of would be allowed to stay in hotels without a vaccination certificate in tourist districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir – and the same will apply to tourists above 30 years from July 1. Amusement parks, water parks, and swimming pools – with 50% occupancy – will be allowed to be re-open from May 30 onwards in districts with 5% and below positivity, the statement said.