ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) is likely to decide regarding the closure of schools, a preventive measure during the fatal rise in COVID-19 infections, after reviewing the existing coronavirus situation in the country in a meeting today (Monday). The forum had called a meeting and invited the federal and provincial health and education ministers to suggest a new set of SOPs to deal with the burgeoning coronavirus situation in the country over the weekend. A new set of guidelines is to be discussed in today’s meeting, with its focus on schools and the education sector as a whole, public gatherings, marriage ceremonies, indoor/outdoor dining, and the transport sector. The meeting will discuss ways and means to prevent the spread of coronavirus in schools, colleges, and universities. The decision to extensively engage with provinces, especially with the Sindh government, was made in the last NCOC meeting on Saturday for necessary measures to tackle the rising coronavirus numbers. Punjab doesn’t want schools to shut down: Yasmin Rashid Meanwhile, Punjab health minister Yasmin Rashid said that they do not want the closure of schools. “We don’t want the schools shut since education has already suffered enough,” Rashid said. She said that Punjab has vaccinated 80% of its students in schools and colleges. Talking about the fast approaching Pakistan Super League 2022, the minister said NCOC is to decide on whether it will allow spectators at the venues or not.