Govt Considering to Close Schools For Students Under 12

The Federal Government might close schools for children under 12 years of age, as they are yet to be vaccinated, revealed the Parliamentary Secretary on Health Dr Nausheen Hamid on Tuesday. It bears mentioning that the number of COVID-19 cases are on a rise across the country.

The development comes a day after the meeting of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), which was attended by the provincial health ministers and education ministers. However, the meeting ended without making any decision on whether schools should be closed in the country amid rising number of coronavirus cases.

Speaking to a local media outlet, Dr Nausheen Hamid said that the Government was considering to close schools for children under 12 years of age because they are yet to be vaccinated against the coronavirus disease, however, they can continue on-campus academic process while adhering to the SOPs.

She also revealed that the Government has no plans on closing schools where children above the age of 12 years, staff, and teachers have been vaccinated despite the COVID-19 positivity ratio reaching 9.45% in the last 24 hours after the country reported 5,034 new infections, according to the NCOC’s daily update.

The decision regarding the closure of schools was deferred on the recommendation of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), which suggested that the Inter-Provincial Educational Ministers Conference (IPEMC) take the final decision after reviewing the COVID-19 positivity ratio in educational institutions.

There is a large-scale COVID-19 testing underway at schools and colleges in the country and a final decision will be taken soon regarding closure of schools.

Read more: NCOC to Decide on Schools Closure Tomorrow.

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