PMA considers businesses reopening premature

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Cautioning that the COVID-19 disease was not over in the country yet, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), on August 8, urged the government to ensure maintenance of related preventive measures above all.

In a statement the association regretted that 80 to 85% people did not follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) nowadays. 

“Even at the government offices people do not adopt preventive measures while it is the responsibility of the government to implement SOPs strictly,” it was pointed out. 

The statement issued by the PMA Secretary General, Dr Qaiser Sajjad, reckoned that the government had taken the decision of reopening almost all the businesses across the country in haste. 

“We are still under quarantine period for monitoring corona cases and only after five to six days we will be able to know how many new cases have emerged after Eid,” he stated. 

The PMA brought to light the fact that the other countries including United States, England, Brazil, Australia, China and South Korea, who had eased their lockdowns and opened different sectors in view of their subsiding cases of COVID-19, were once again reporting cases which have increased in the second phase there. 

“We are scared that our graph may not increase again. It could increase the burden over our hospitals and healthcare workers like it happened after Eid-ul-Fitr,” the PMA Secretary feared. 

The PMA felt that the decision about resumption of different sectoral activities, businesses, educational institutions, travelling and tourism should have been made after upcoming festivals and events like Independence Day, Muharram and Rabi-ul-Awwal.