Imposing restrictions within 7 days to combat Omicron: Health minister

The health ministry has suggested imposing restrictive measures, such as halving the carrying capacity of public transports and reducing trading hours at shops and shopping malls, within seven days instead of 15 as announced by an inter-ministerial meeting on Monday.

"Fifteen days is a long time and the infection could have already spread by that time. So, I have proposed making it seven days," Health Minister Zahid Maleque told reporters at a function at the Secretariat on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, to counter the spread of Omicron in Bangladesh, the Press Information Department of the government issued a circular on Tuesday evening with 15 directives given by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has called upon everyone to strictly adhere to the guidelines across the country.

Monday's meeting suggested a number of restrictions – making wearing masks mandatory on public transport, closing shops at 8pm instead of 10pm, making vaccine cards a must to eat at restaurants, increasing screening at borders, and campaigning to get everyone vaccinated.

The minister also said the cabinet secretary too agreed to implement the ban in the next seven days. The home ministry, deputy commissioners and superintendents of police have been requested to implement the instructions expeditiously.

Everyone has to be aware that the Omicron variant spreads three or four times faster than other ones. There are only 20,000 beds for Covid-19 patients in the country. It will be quite difficult to accommodate in case the number of patients exceeds the capacity, the minister added.

Zahid Maleque further said the ministry has thought of introducing lockdown if the infection spreads too rapidly and the situation gets out of control.

Covid-19 cases rise to 775, positivity rate nearly 4%

Bangladesh reported six more deaths from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours till 8am Tuesday. Besides, the number of daily cases rose to 775, the highest in 89 days, during the same period. 

Also, the positivity rate went up to 3.91%, up from 3.37% a day ago, which is the highest since 2 October.

With the latest additions, the death toll reached 28,087 and the case tally climbed to 15,87,915 in the country. 

IEDCR said Covid-19 infections are rising in the country as people are not following health guidelines.

"The infection rate is increasing mainly due to not wearing masks, and increase in social and political events. Infections could rise further in the next three to five weeks," IEDCR Chief Scientific Officer Dr ASM Alamgir told The Business Standard on Tuesday.

Patients who are Covid-19 positive are being admitted to the hospital, so it can be said the Delta variant is still dominating in this region. The rate of hospitalisation due to the Omicron variant is very low worldwide, he added.

"However, the number of Omicron patients will increase. We have noticed in the last two years that within three to five weeks of the spread of a new variant in Europe and America, it spreads to this region", he said further.

"As such, the infection will increase in our country after three weeks and can spread [throughout the country] within six weeks. Everyone has to wear a mask. Because masks work against all kinds of variants. Also, everyone must be vaccinated", he concluded.

15 directives to be followed 

• Strengthen health checks and screenings at ports for passengers arriving from Omicron affected countries
• Discourage social/political/religious/other public gatherings
• Every person should ensure proper observance of all hygiene rules, including covering the nose and mouth properly, and wearing a mask when going out
• Seating arrangements at restaurants should be halved
• All types of public gatherings, tourist spots, recreation centres, resorts, community centres, cinema halls/theatre halls and social events (weddings, weddings, birthdays, picnics, parties, etc) can be organised with half or less than the capacity
• All places of worship, including mosques, need to ensure good hygiene, including the wearing of masks
• Hygiene must be ensured on public transport
• Passengers arriving from affected countries must ensure 14 days quarantine
• Ensure hygiene in all educational institutions (all madrasas, pre-primary, primary, secondary, higher secondary, including educational institutions, universities) and coaching centres
• In all healthcare institutions, service recipients, service providers and health workers should always ensure proper hygiene including covering their noses and faces and wearing masks
• Those who have not yet received the Covid-19 vaccine should go to the vaccination centre and take the two doses
• Covid-19 patients, people with symptoms and anyone who has come in contact with a patient must be quarantined
• Individuals with Covid-19 symptoms can be assisted in ensuring isolation and Covid-19 testing in coordination with local authorities
• Make sure to cover your nose and face during office entry and stay. Hygiene compliance must be officially confirmed
• Even if you are vaccinated, you must wear a mask when you go out
• In order to control and reduce the incidence of Covid-19, public announcements and campaigns can be carried out at the community level to create awareness about hygiene compliance including mask removal. In this case the mic of the mosque/temple/church/pagoda can be used if required and the elected public representatives can be involved