The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has decided that winter vacations in educational institutions will commence from January 3 next year, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The decision was taken at an NCOC meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar (Chairman NCOC).

The huddle was aimed at reviewing the rescheduling of winter vacations of educational institutes. The meeting was held at NCOC in Islamabad on Friday.

Federal Minister Education Mr Shafqat Mehmood, SAPM Health Dr Faisal Sultan and all other stakeholders were in attendance.

It has been decided that winter vacations for educational institutions will commence from January 3, 2022 (except in areas affected by extreme weather conditions or fog). Provincial entities will notify accordingly.

This decision has been taken to maximize vaccine uptake amongst students in educational institutions, which can be best achieved when schools are open. Millions of students remain unvaccinated, and data suggest that children may be susceptible to infection. Parents are urged to get their children vaccinated at the earliest to protect them and those around them.

Additionally, global trends regarding the spread of the Omicron variant suggest that an upsurge of cases typically happens within few weeks of the detection of the variant. In light of this information, it will be prudent to schedule winter vacations in Pakistan in January to coincide with the potential uptick of cases. This will allow for minimal disruption of educational calendars if there is a surge in cases.

All citizens are urged to get their vaccinations, including those who have not yet gotten their second doses. Complete vaccination offers the highest protection against the disease.