Dec 17, 2021: A meeting chaired by Mr Asad Umar (Chairman NCOC), to review the rescheduling of winter vacations of education institutes was held at NCOC on 17 Dec 21.

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 education institutions will commence from 3 January 2022 (except in areas affected by extreme weather conditions or fog).

Provincial entities will notify accordingly.

The decision by NCOC 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.

As per NCOC directives, 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.

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