Pakistan bans inflight meals, snacks from Jan.17 amid Omicron upsurge

Tariq Butt, Correspondent

Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Saturday banned serving the inflight meals and snacks in line with the directives of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to stem the spread of Omicron from Monday (Jan.17).

In a meeting to discuss the current coronavirus situation in the country, the NCOC directed the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure wearing of masks during flights and implement COVID-19 standard operating procedures at all airports. The ban on snacks and meals will also apply on public transport from Monday.

"Amid rising Omicron cases across the country, the NCOC bans serving meals/snacks onboard domestic flights and public transport effective from Jan.17,” the authority said on its Twitter handle.

As Pakistan witnessed a surge in COVID-19 cases with the positivity rate reaching 7.36 per cent, the NCOC has allowed all citizens over 18 years of age to get booster dose.

In a tweet, the NCOC said: "In the NCOC session, the age limit for booster dose has been further reduced. Citizens over 18 years will be eligible for free booster dose of their choice. Booster (one dose) will be administered after a 6 months gap from complete vaccination.”

It stated that vaccine doses administered across the country over the past 24 hours stood at 786,835. So far 166,083,807 people have been inoculated - 33 per cent of total population and 50pc of eligible population.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan asked people to adopt safety measures to avoid Covid-19 and follow the standard operating procedures issued by the government to maintain social distancing.

In a tweet, he said: "Covid-19 vaccine update - more than 50 per cent of the above 12 years old population is fully vaccinated. Let us not stop here. More to do. Let us also not forget that with cases surging all over the country, we must wear masks, especially indoors.”