Karachi Eat 2022 in Karachi is happening in full swing. Amid the COVID-19 concerns raised online, the festival kickstarted its first day on Friday 14th of Jan, with almost 100 vendors lined up to serve the city of lights. Influencers who visited the festival on the first day pointed out that, like in previous years, this time around, the tickets are not available at the event itself.
The Good
There are multiple checkpoints where vaccination cards are being checked, and proper SOPs are implemented. People are entering only if they are wearing their masks. People are assigned the task to check if SOPs are being followed specifically.
This time around, over 100 vendors have lined up to serve the people of Karachi. Tickets aren’t available at the event because the organizers want to control the crowd. You must purchase it online to be able to enter the venue.
Garbage disposal is a huge concern at the festival. SEED ventures are collaborating with Karachi Eat 2022 to collect trash from the festival which will then be separated, recycled, and then things will be reproduced from the trash. A work of art indicating the efforts has also been put together at the festival by artist Munawer Ali Syed.
Among a plethora of options, the ones that stood out were K-Pav, Umami, Fiz & Bob, Burger boss, the house of PWC, Nefis foods, Builder burger, Picante Mexican, and many more.
The Bad
The footfall wasn’t as high as expected, judging by the stories uploaded on Instagram stories. This is good in a way because, of course, fewer people have lesser chances of contracting COVID-19. However, it is bad for the stalls that have paid to set up at the event and are relying on people to show up.
People have entered wearing masks. However, they are seen in photos with the mask under their nose, mouth, or chin, which serves no purpose of wearing one in the first place.
Karachi Eat is happening, with a 28.8% positivity rate, not to mention the scores of people who tested positive after last weekend’s event at Alliance Francaise. Both sponsored by @CocaCola. According to FB page- KEat is following strict SOPs – documentation suggests otherwise. pic.twitter.com/3kyE1ze8Yc
— Alia Chughtai (@AliaChughtai) January 14, 2022
People are also suggesting that there will be more crowd tomorrow and the day after tomorrow because of the weekend. If you are concerned about the parking, then the best time to go in is just before the gates open. Massive traffic jams are expected, with crowd pouring in on the weekend.
The Concerns
This morning #KarachiEatCanWait was trending on #1 on Pakistani Twitter because people were alarmed at the statistics released by NCOC showcasing the rise in Omicron cases in Karachi. Following the trend, we asked our official Instagram people whether the event should kickstart amid the rising cases. The results reveal that 33% said YES, while 67% said NO.
The daily positivity rate of Karachi is 28.8%
2,081 new Coronavirus cases reported from Karachi alone in the past 24 hours
This was 91% of Sindh’s total cases over the period
Karachi’s daily positivity rate is now 28.8%
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) January 14, 2022
AKUH Intelligence system report reveals that the COVID-19 alert level is RED
Karachi Eat is Happening Amid Surge in COVID-19 Cases, Entrance Banned Without Proof of Vaccination. Read the full story here:
The coronavirus cases in the port city are surging, mainly the Omicron variant. Amid the increase in cases, the city’s biggest food festival is still taking place from the 14th of January to the 16th (Fri, Sat, and Sun) at Beach View Park, Clifton. When the COVID-19 cases rise, the authorities often oversee that big gatherings are being set up in the open air with people following SOPs, such as wearing a mask and being vaccinated.
Karachi Eat is Happening Amid Surge in COVID-19 Cases, Entrance Banned Without Proof of Vaccination
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments section below.
For more news and updates, stay tuned to Wow 360.