ISLAMABAD: No Pakistani will be allowed to travel back to the country from China till they complete a 14-day observation period.
This announcement was made by Dr Zafar Mirza, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health here on Saturday while addressing a press conference in Islamabad.
He said that the agreement in this regard had been finalized in a meeting held with the Chinese envoy in Pakistan. However, the official informed reporters that further details of the agreement are still being worked out.
Mirza shared that the policy is being implemented after China declared that no Chinese citizen will be allowed to travel abroad till the completion of the 14-day observation period. “Those declared free of the virus after the period will be issued with a certificate that assures the airport officials that they are free from the disease,” Mirza said.
“Through this one measure we have ensured Pakistan remains free from the disease. Because our case definition says that travelling and staying in China is an important factor [behind the spread of the disease],” said the SAPM.
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Dr Mirza stated that If Pakistan was able to control the disease in Pakistanis present in China, then it has secured the country from the disease, according to the information that doctors have at this point.
Dr Mirza also shared with the reporters that the country will soon receive the health kits which would allow the country to detect the virus. “From tomorrow or today we will start carrying out tests to determine the coronavirus,” said Dr Mirza.
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