Face masks “Mandatory” for all in public places

The government of Pakistan has made it mandatory for people to cover face with masks in public places, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s aide Zafar Mirza announced on Saturday.

Dr Zafar Mirza, during a media talk told reporters in Islamabad, “as the government of Pakistan, we are making the use of masks mandatory”.

“It is no more an option…not your wish…you should use it,” he added.

He further said that the rate of local transmissions of the coronavirus are now at 92%, with at least 78 people, including four healthcare professionals have died in Pakistan in the last 24 hours.

PM Khan’s special assistant on health said, “Wherever you think social distancing is not suitable or the place is crowded, then it is mandatory to wear a mask there. We are talking about a surgical mask. It could be a cloth mask.”

“We have several SOPs for different places but I want to give you a list of six or seven [places] where it is mandatory to wear masks…in mosques, markets, shops, shopping malls, public transport, including plane, trains, buses and wagons.”

So far, the virus has claimed 1,395 lives in Pakistan and “unfortunately”, the cases and number of deaths will rise in the coming days, he said.