Pakistan ranks second on Economist’ world normalcy index

Islamabad: Pakistan has been ranked number two in The Economists' world normalcy index—that measured recovery and opening up of society and economy post COVID-19. 

The Economist's normalcy index tracks eight different metrics of human behaviour, from travel to sporting attendance, across 50 countries that together account for about 90% of the world’s GDP and 75% of its population and offers some evidence about how people are responding to restrictions in real-time.  

Sharing index report in a tweet on Thursday, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said Pakistan was 3rd in the first evaluation and number one in the second.    

The federal Minister added that Pakistan is the only country in the world to be in top three in all three evaluations.

Pakistan ranked number 2 in the world in Economist global normalcy index measuring recovery post covid opening up of society & economy. Pak was 3rd in the first evaluation and number 1 in the second. Pakistan is the only country in the world to be in top 3 in all three rankings pic.twitter.com/2S7gTbStH2

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) January 20, 2022

Pakistan has been showing great resilience against the COVID-19 pandemic. To note, out of 50 countries, the country topped the Economist’s world normalcy index in its second evaluation.

Egypt took the first spot in the index due to its successful economic reform program and effective handling of COVID outbreak.

However, covid cases are likely to rise in the coming months as cold weather in the northern hemisphere forces people to spend more time inside.

Yet policymakers may worry that complacency about Covid, especially among the vaccinated, will lead to people ignoring new restrictions and not using face masks.

In the meantime, Pakistan has witnessed an enormous spike in its daily tally of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) after as many as 6,808 new infections were logged in the last 24 hours, according to morning update by ministry of health.

Country's COVID positivity rate now stands at 11.55%. While, the cumulative tally of the country has now climbed to 1,345,801.