Preparations to fight new Covid surge

In the face of the deteriorating pandemic situation in the country, the government is taking all-out preparations to contain the rising infections.

The number of new Covid cases has almost doubled in a single day, besides, the detection rate has also increased. 

The Cabinet Division has announced a set of restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19, effective from 13 January.  

To contain the rapidly increasing infections, the Directorate General of Health services (DGHS) is widening the scope of tests and vaccinations, besides increasing the supply of oxygen to hospitals.

The Cabinet Division restrictions include limiting passengers in public transport, banning all kinds of social, political, and religious gatherings at open places, and making mask-wearing mandatory. 

Public transports, including buses, trains and launches, will have to carry passengers at half capacity. The authorities concerned will issue specific instructions in this regard along with the date of implementation. Drivers and assistants of all types of vehicles will have to carry the Covid vaccine certificates.

According to the restrictions, people have to wear masks at all public places including shopping malls, markets, hotels and restaurants otherwise they have to face legal action.

To dine at restaurants and rent residential hotels, people have to show vaccination certificates. 

Students aged above 12 will not be allowed to attend in-person classes unless they are vaccinated after 15 January.

As per the restrictions, the number of screenings at land ports, seaports and airports has to be increased. Crews of ships at seaports must be banned from entering the ports. Only the truck drivers, no assistant, would be allowed to enter through the land ports. 

Visitors accompanying foreign-bound passengers will be barred from entering the airport. All the passengers coming from abroad have to show Covid-19 vaccine certificate at the airport.

Imams will make the people aware about the observance of hygiene rules and wearing masks in the sermons of Friday prayers in all mosques. Deputy commissioners and upazila nirbahi officers will confirm this matter.

The health and family welfare ministry will take necessary initiatives to expedite vaccination and booster doses. In this case, they will take the help of the information and broadcasting ministry. 

In addition, all social, political, religious ceremonies and gatherings in open spaces should be kept closed until further notice.

Professor Dr Ahmedul Kabir, additional director general (administration) of the DGHS, told The Business Standard, "The infection rate can be contained if the restrictions are followed accordingly. And if the infections can be controlled, the pressure on the hospitals will be reduced and all patients can be treated. This is how everyone works to contain the transmission of this invisible virus, we have to do the same."

Meanwhile, Bangladesh reported three Covid deaths and 2,231 new cases in the last 24 hours till Monday 8am. Earlier on September 10 last year, Bangladesh reported 2,325 covid cases.

With the latest additions, the death toll reached 28,105 and the case tally increased to 15,95,931 in the country.

The current positivity rate was recorded at 8.53% after 26,143 samples were tested across the country.

Tests, vaccinations being increased

Professor Meerjady Sabrina Flora, additional director general (planning and development) of the DGHS told TBS, "Infections are on the rise, so antigen and RTPCR tests are being stepped up to identify the new Covid patients. We urge all Covid suspects to test. Civil surgeons have also been instructed to test those who have come in contact with Covid positive patients. We have the capacity to do more than 50,000 tests a day. The number of tests will be increased if the number of patients increases."

She said although non-Covid patients have been treated for some time in the Covid-dedicated hospitals after infections decreased, now the hospitals are again being prepared for Covid patients only due to increasing cases. Oxygen is very important for Covid patients, so central oxygen lines have been set up in district level hospitals also. In addition, oxygen concentrators have been installed in most of the district level hospitals, and work is underway to install in the rest of the hospitals. 

"As the number of infections has decreased in the last three or four months, people have become reluctant to get vaccinated," she observed.

According to the DGHS, there are 13,412 general beds for Covid patients across the country, of which 2,136 are occupied.

Bangladesh Monday reported nine more cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus after the new variant was first detected in December.

The total number of Omicron cases in the country stands at 30 as of Monday morning, according to the data released from Germany in the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), an international database organisation for the virus.

Dr M Mushtuq Husain, adviser at Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) told TBS, "The infection rate is almost doubling, which is a symptom of Omicron. The infection is spreading to big cities. Emphasis should now be placed on managing the Covid patients outside the hospital. Antigen tests need to be further enhanced, so that a positive patient can be identified and isolated quickly. In addition, those who have not yet been vaccinated need to be vaccinated quickly to reduce mortality."

The government emphasising more vaccinations to combat the increasing infection rate, he added.

So far, 7.8 crore people have received first dose of coronavirus vaccine in the country and 5.48 crore people have received two doses. Besides, 4.28 lakh people have taken the booster dose.