A critical phase © of HE coming weeks are critical for Pakistan’s Covid-19 response. With a national positivity ratio of 10pc and an- average of over 150 daily deaths this week, the situation is as alarming as ever. According to NCOC chief Asad Umar, the number, of critical-care Covid patients on oxygen reached 5,360 on Friday — a figure that is 57pc higher than last June’s peak. Though the federal minister tweeted that the government is working on building oxygen capacity, given the rate at which the virus is spreading it may not be enough. As the nightmare unfolds in India, the desperate search of citizens who turn to social media current positivity rate, oxygen availability continues constraint. Any higher, and the country will be plung: hell that India is living through right now. Al ith at availability, trained doctors are a finite resourc [f the hospital inflows of critical-care patients increases, hospital staff will be left to make the heartbreaking decision of who lives or dies —a reality we have seen in Italy at the start of the pandemic and now in India. Given these realities, SOP compliance and prevention in the last two weeks of Ramazan are vital. The alternative will be the near total collapse of the country’s healthcare infrastructure. The end of Ramazan usually sees huge crowds in indoor markets set up for Eid shopping. And on Eid, families make multiple visits in a day to relatives —largely indoors as temperatures are high. If Eid activity continues as per normal, the post-Eid period will be dark. Here, the government’s efforts to enforce SOPs and send the right message are critical. Unfortunately, even public officials, such as the KP health minister, Taimur Jhagra, are seen violating restrictions. At a time when the provinces need clear leadership, such a message is devastating for tlie Coyid-19 response. i Even if Pakistan emerges from the third wave peak, the Covid-19 threat will not go away. With restrictions not enforced, compliance “Tevels go down and the infection spreads with a vengeance. Pakistan has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the world — a tragedy given how much the healthcare system, economy and education have suffered in the pandemic. Though the government has now announced vaccinations for those who are 40 and above, the fact we have managed to vaccinate only 2m of our 220m population. expects to get 15m new doses of the vaccine in the ‘Must have a better :