Ensuring mask use at all levels can be a key measure to slow down the Covid-19 spread in Bangladesh since strict lockdown is not ‘feasible’ in the country context, an expert says.
“But first of all we have to accept that yes I can get Covid-19 and then take steps accordingly,” Dr. ASM Alamgir, principal scientific officer of the government’s disease monitoring agency, IEDCR, told Bangladesh Post as he observed ‘Corona denial’ among the public.
This denial is aggravating the situation, he said on Tuesday as the cases are rising by the day with 7,213 fresh cases detected in 24 hours. Of them, 66 died.
The number is the highest in a single day since the detection of the first three cases on March 8, 2020. But Dr Alamgir said if you compare this with the total samples tested during the 24 hours, it was not the highest.
He said 21.02 percent of the 34,311 samples collected in 24 hours were tested positive. “Last year we found the rate was even 23 percent,” he said, adding that, “We are testing more samples now than before. So, the number of detected cases is also rising. And more cases mean more deaths”.
“But we can prevent both the cases and deaths if we are aware of the disease. We need to wear masks all the time when we are outside the home. At the same time, we need to go for testing and if it comes positive, seek the doctor's advice immediately.”
But, he observed, that many people are suffering from the ‘Covid-19 denial’ problem which is aggravating their conditions. And then finally when they turned up to a doctor, it’s already late.
“When people feel fever or cough or any other common cold related problems, they think it’s normal. ‘I suffer this every year’. Then they downplay and do not go for testing. The person thinks ‘I didn’t go anywhere so how can I get the virus’. This denial is causing problems,” Dr Alamgir said. “Then suddenly his or her condition deteriorates.”
“We recommend all to test when you have fever, cough or common cold symptoms. And then see a doctor rather than taking medicines from other sources such as pharmacies or common prescriptions being circulated in social media”.
The government has taken strict measures along with vaccination to curb the spread of Covid-19 in Bangladesh.
A seven-day lockdown has been underway since Monday. Before that, the Prime Minister’s Office issued 18-point directives which include restricting all kinds of public gatherings (social, political, religious and others), ensuring proper hygiene rules in all places of worship, including mosques, limiting public gatherings in tourist attractions, cinema hall and theaters, public transports to carry passengers keeping half of the seats empty for ensuring social distancing, 14-day institutional quarantine for the inbound international passengers, all educational institutions and coaching centres will remain closed, and all offices to run by 50 percent manpower a day with wearing masks and maintaining hygiene rules.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh on Thursday imposed a 16-day ban on entry of passengers from all European nations except the UK and 12 other countries - Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Peru, Qatar, South Africa, Turkey and Uruguay - from April 3 to check the new spike of Covid-19 cases.
The Election Commission also postponed all the elections until further notice.
“For us, strict lockdown is a difficult choice. We have observed that before. We have to balance life and livelihood since we have around 2.5 crore poor and marginalised people. What we need to do is to ensure mask use. We have seen that when people start wearing masks, the cases come down. So I think with the closure of tourism places and ensuring mask use at all levels, we can slow down the spread of the virus,” Dr Alamgir said.
The World Health Organisation also says that masks are a key measure to suppress transmission and save lives.
“Masks should be used as part of a comprehensive ‘Do it all!’ approach including physical distancing, avoiding crowded, closed and close-contact settings, good ventilation, cleaning hands, covering sneezes and coughs, and more,” said the WHO.
