Covid-19: We have no scope to shrug off safety measures
The Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh has improved lately, but we are not as safe yet to become complacent
On November 9, 206 people were infected with coronavirus while three people died, according to the Directorate General of Health Services. In Bangladesh, the Covid-19 situation has improved lately. Earlier this Saturday (November 6), only one person died of Covid-19. This was the lowest one-day death record from coronavirus in the last 19 months.
People, especially the Dhaka city dwellers, seem to have forgotten about the pandemic. The only thing that is constantly reminding us every day of the pandemic are facemasks. However, the situation around the world tells us a different story.
According to WHO data, the infection rate is rising very fast in China, which has seen a 64% increase in just a week. The situation in Japan, Bhutan, Laos, Vietnam and Afghanistan is also getting worse every day. The infection keeps rising.
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The newly detected Delta and the virus variant that was first found in China are wreaking havoc in those countries. But in most cases, the Delta variant is raging across the countries. The infection is increasing rapidly in the UK, Russia and Eastern Europe.
We have enough reason to worry about the increasing number of infections around the globe. As long as the infection is spreading, we have to remain alert. Each and every country around the world is at risk of the infection increasing, let alone Bangladesh.
There is no scope to treat the pandemic so carelessly. There are many counties, including China, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Bhutan and Vietnam, whose infection rate was once at zero level for several months. However, the situation quickly reversed.
There are many challenges in our country, like maintaining proper public health and social measures, managing infected patients, and adequate coverage of Covid-19 vaccination. Right now, we must maintain a high level of alertness at all times.
Naturally, people will have to go out for their livelihood. But the problem is that many of us have started shrugging off health guidelines, witnessing a low number of infections across the country. It is people's relaxed attitudes towards health guidelines that increase the risk of infection.
The carelessness of the people in maintaining public health and safety measures has been observed around the world. And this carelessness is ultimately leading to a higher infection rate across the globe. There is no way but to be careful about maintaining public health and safety measures.
Countries that will be prompt at detecting infected people will become successful in managing infected patients. Those countries will be able to bring the situation under control fast.
Our monitoring is falling behind the pace of the virus spread. First, we will have to intensify monitoring. This is the first and foremost task.
Secondly, whenever anybody shows Covid-19 symptoms, we have to help him/her be in isolation and provide medical management.
Without any delay, we will have to start contact tracing and testing people who were close to the patients. As now the number of patients is low, it will be easier to manage every patient.
Do not forget to maintain public health and safety measures, especially in crowded places. For example, we should keep on wearing masks.
You may remove the mask if it is an open space and at least one metre away from others. But you must wear a mask in closed areas: shopping malls, bazaars, social events, etc.
The third one is vaccination. Sadly, we are not getting sufficient vaccines from developed nations. The more people we can vaccinate, especially the elderly, the more lives we will be able to save.
If we can vaccinate more people, the extent of damage will be lower despite the high infection rate.
We are receiving far fewer vaccines than we need. It is right that the supply of vaccines has increased to some extent, but it is still insufficient.
The faster we vaccinate people, the more effective they are. If it takes us a year or more to administer vaccines, then we may have to vaccinate some people again.
For the time being, I am not seeing any necessity to provide booster vaccines, except for clinically recommended immunocompromised patients.
However, we have to ensure the availability of the vaccine. We will have to procure the vaccine under the COVAX initiative and through bilateral arrangements.
Unfortunately, the high-income countries are storing up vaccines. If the high-income countries keep taking hold of the vaccines and more and more people in other countries get infected with Covid-19, then there is a possibility of new variants emerging. And the new variants will spare none of us.
Our health system should be radically rearranged to prevent such pandemics in the future. Health is more than just curative services; it also includes preventive, promotive, rehabilitative, and palliative services.
Every component of health service should be modernised based on equity. Building a health system resilient for universal health coverage and health security will effectively prevent and mitigate any public health emergency, epidemic, or pandemic in the future.
We are not in that safe situation yet to be complacent. We have no option to shrug off public health and safety measures.
Dr M Mushtuq Husain is an adviser to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
