Citizens Asked To Follow Eid-ul-Adha COVID-19 SOPs

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Jul, 2020 ) :The Ministry of National Health Services (MNHS) on Monday asked the citizens to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for containing the spread of person-to-person transmission of COVID-19 to general public, the buyers and sellers of animals during Eid-ul-Adha.

According to an MNHS official, the SOPs were related to social distancing and other preventive measures during slaughtering of animals and Eid prayers on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha.

He said that public should only undertake minimal necessary travel during Eid holidays as it was likely to fall in the peak period of pandemic in Pakistan. Social visits on Eid and general family get togethers should be avoided.

He said the guidelines had been developed to propose measures to ensure continued and uninterrupted prayers for Muslims on Eid-ul-Adha. As per SOPs, citizens had been asked to discourage the sick, elderly and children under 15 years of age from attending prayers and discourage socializing within the mosques after prayers.

He added the worshippers must avoid handshake and maintain social distancing by keeping two meters distance between each other, while keeping every other row empty during prayers.

There should be no crowding while entering or exiting the mosques.

Every worshipper, he said, should also wear face surgical mask, and bring their own prayer mat and not leave them behind after the prayer. Clean floors for prayers must be ensured by washing them with chlorinated water regularly.

The official said as per the SOPs Eid shopping should only be restricted to minimal essentials and crowding in markets was not advisable. The tradition of 'Eid embracing' was likely to increase transmission so it should be avoided for the Eid.

The local authorities should encourage the trend of online buying, e-selling and slaughter arrangements of the animals as much as possible in their respective cities and towns.

The authorities should allocate large enough spaces away from general populated areas for animal markets and must get the markets set under their supervision while allocating the space to the animal vendors strictly following social distancing principles.\932