Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday stressed that donning masks and adherence to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) should be ensured at all costs to avoid further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on COVID-19, the prime minister said during winter, coronavirus infection might spread, stressing the provincial governments should devise a strategy to cope with the possible challenge.

About the purpose of the meeting, Imran Khan observed that they wanted to take timely decisions to control the second wave of coronavirus and save the nation from its further harms. 

The meeting was apprised of the coronavirus situation, testing, ratio of its spread in different parts of the country and increasing number of cases at the global level, PM Office Media Wing in a press release said.

The meeting was told that at the international level, the number of corona affected patients had surged. 

Compared with those numbers, the coronavirus spread and its damages remained distinctly low in Pakistan due to the blessings of Allah Almighty, and the government’s efforts and effective strategy, it was added.

The meeting was further apprised that as per the last six weeks data, the coronavirus infection was spreading in the country. The smart lockdown was being enforced in different areas of Karachi, Islamabad, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

It was suggested that measures should be taken to limit all unnecessary activities, which were not related to certain basic requirements like the economy and education in order to control the second wave of coronavirus. A suggestion regarding the restriction on public gatherings was also presented in the meeting.