The government is preparing to loosen coronavirus lockdown restrictions as the number of infections and deaths are well below previous projections.
“The mortality numbers are nowhere near the same as we see in other countries,” Planning Minister Asad Umar, who oversees the response to the virus, told journalists. He said infections and deaths in Pakistan are 30-35% lower than projections and, if things remained this way, the country can open up further in coming days.
Umer said despite the rising numbers, the disease is under control, but the economic cost has been ‘tremendous’ as revenues and exports have been hit during a month-long lockdown. Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza said at least 480 health workers, including doctors, have been infected. He added that because of the lockdown and the focus on the coronavirus, a number of other health programmes, such an anti-polio campaign, have been affected. He said safety procedures for mosque gatherings have been worked out between the government and clerics.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf clarified that the two-day mandatory quarantine period for citizens returning to the country does not mean that they will necessarily be allowed to go home afterwards. He said that every passenger coming to Pakistan will be required to stay at a quarantine facility for two days. He clarified that tests are conducted after 48 hours have passed.
While explaining the quarantine policy, he said that it can take up to one or one-and-a-half days or even 3-4 days until test results come back depending on provincial capacity and pressure. “After the test result comes back, we will decide whether the person will remain under quarantine, be taken to a hospital or sent home with self-isolation guidelines. I understand people are agitated but as you know most new cases are asymptomatic now so you have to cooperate with the government,” he said, adding that the procedures have been made after advice from health experts and administrative authorities.
“You have waited patiently for a long time outside Pakistan, we request you to cooperate with the authorities when you’re back here. These [procedures] are only for the protection of you and your loved ones,” he said. “In some cases, a traveler’s test will come back negative, but many other people test positive on their flight; in such a situation it depends on provincial authorities if they want to keep such persons (who test negative) quarantined for an extra period,” he added.
Yusuf said that the government’s focus for the next week will remain on repatriating Pakistani nationals from Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia as a lot of labourers are stranded there after losing their jobs because of the pandemic. “But we will also try bringing citizens back from Sudan, Kenya and Britain,” he said, adding that the government has granted permission to some airlines to operate commercial flights from Pakistan especially to countries where PIA does not have access, such as the United States, Australia and Africa. He urged Pakistanis stranded abroad to register with the embassies in their country of residence, saying the embassies were deciding who to prioritise for repatriation. The SAPM said that the coronavirus fatality rate in Pakistan is 2.1 per cent which is far less as compared to the worldwide rate. He added that 70 per cent of those who died from coronavirus in Pakistan had underlying health conditions. “Our testing capacity has increased; we have conducted 8,530 tests in the last 24 hours. That has been our strategy too, to increase the testing capacity and gradually move towards smart lockdown,” he said.
Yusuf said that five districts in Balochistan which are located far from the country’s main trade routes will be allowed to import essential items from neighbouring Iran. He added that the government has also allowed the export of certain essential items to Afghanistan since April 10 on the request of the Afghan government.
