The federal government, while revising the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to contain rapidly increasing Covid-19 cases, has issued stricter SOPs. It has also decided that all educational institutes in Covid-19 hotspot areas, including Islamabad will remain closed till April 11. Schools in Sindh are allowed to remain open but asked to ensure only 50 percent attendance of pupils.

In my view, the government is required to immediately ease all the legitimate concerns of private sector that has refused to sell Covid-19 vaccine at the government-notified rates. Secondly, the government must start imposing fines on people violating Covid-19 SOPs at public places. Only then will we be able to contain the spread of this deadly virus. We have already acted in a completely reckless manner. In other words, we have thrown caution to the wind.

Nasir Beg (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021