Pakistan is using technology to identify coronavirus cases and has imposed “smart lockdown” so can help the country’s system amid easing of the month-long lockdown. It will help the economy, as well as low-income class, was suffering a lot due to complete lockdown in the country.
Technology will be used to collect data to identify COVID-19 cases and impose “smart lockdown”.
Addressing a media briefing here, Planning Minister Asad Umar said the restrictions were relaxed as the ongoing lockdown was having a devastating effect on the low-income class. Preventive measures will be followed as defined earlier.
Umar said data collection is on and all hospitals across the country would be asked to provide data to create a web portal so that real-time information of the coronavirus could be consolidated in one place.
The minister said the Punjab government has developed an application that can help people locate a nearby hospital that has beds and ventilators available.
Despite a surge in the number of COVID-19 infections, the first phase of the easing of the lockdown in Pakistan has begun. The government announced removing restrictions by allowing more businesses to open and operate from dawn to 5 pm.
However, doctors have warned against easing the restrictions. The Representative of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has demanded that the government observe the World Health Organization protocols and implement a strict lockdown.
Meanwhile, people flocked to the markets on Saturday even before guidelines were issued by the provincial governments on the easing of the lockdown.
While allowing more businesses to open, the Pakistan government asked people to strictly observe social distancing and avoid going out unless there is an urgent need.
The smart lockdown will help the economy to remain stable and as well as will help in locating cases of COVID-19. The low-income class was suffering a lot and now it will help them to be stable again.