ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Thursday chaired a meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and announced to reduce international flights from May 5 to May 20 to stop the virus intake from other countries.

Keeping in view the spread of the virus globally, the NCOC decided to reduce international flights from May 5th to May 20, 2021. The TV channel reported the flight ban will be reviewed on May 18, then the next decision would be taken. The NCOC meeting also decided to start a vaccination drive of 40-46 years old from May 3.

Currently, people of 50 and above age group can get Covid-19 jabs with a walk-in facility at any vaccine center across the country. The NCOC meeting also approved the import of oxygen and oxygen cylinders.

It also decided to close down the scrap industry of Misri Shah Lahore to ensure medical oxygen supply for the Covid-19 patients. Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar said that Thursday was the second successive day of more than one lakh vaccinations. Encouraging to see the pace of registration also picking up. Vaccination of those between 40 and 49 years of age will be starting from next Monday, the 3rd of May.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry talking to media persons said that the corona cases positivity ratio in Lahore is 22.3 percent and the government is weighing lockdown but if the cases would surge then it would be the government's compulsion to do so.

Earlier in the day, Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho has said that the lack of quarantine rules for travellers from abroad allowed for the spread of different variants of the coronavirus. In a video statement, she said that the new variants, that is from UK and India, spread at a faster rate and all measures for protecting citizens must be taken. NNI