The six conditions the World Health Organization (WHO) set for relaxing coronavirus-related restrictions have not been fulfilled in Bangladesh, said a renowned Bangladeshi physician living in the UK, Dr Raqibul Mohammad Anwar.
“The World Health Organization has given six conditions for relaxing and withdrawing restrictions. But in our country (Bangladesh) not a single condition has been fulfilled,” said Dr Raqibul, who worked as colorectal surgeon at the Royal London Hospital.
He said, “The first condition of the WHO was bringing the transmission under control. But in our country, transmission is increasing dangerously every day.”
Prof Be-Nazir Ahmed, former Director of Disease Control of Bangladesh said, “We failed to attain the gains from the lockdown.”
“We have 17 crore people. It is very tough to predict how many people will be infected by COVID-19, if the transmission continues in such a rapid rate,” he warned.
A land as populous and tightly peopled as Bangladesh can become a feast for deadly coronavirus disease that thrives on human proximity due to lack of proper combating strategy.
Experts say the relaxation of lockdown and imposed restrictions has not stalled the spread of pandemic, rather lack of planning and right decisions may lead to a serious outbreak of the lethal novel coronavirus as panic and uncertainty have gripped the entire nation.
In the wake of unprecedented scale of the Covid-19 pandemic and the mounting death toll and infected people, the government is relaxing all the imposed restrictions in the name of limited activation of economic activities of the people.
Transmission disease experts said most of the countries except Bangladesh had strengthened the lockdown in every sector in a bid to contain the infections of Covid-19 when the infection rates were going high.
But authorities here in Bangladesh have been taking complete opposition direction during the significant increase of coronavirus in Bangladesh.
If the policy makers fail to take right decisions in right times, the situation would be dangerous, even more than we imagine, the public health experts said.
As a result, we shall not be able to accurately calculate when the peak time will begin, how many days the increasing trend of infections will continue and how many weeks the pandemic situation will prevail in the country, the experts opined.
Prof Be-Nazir Ahmed said “We don’t know who will be infected, when we will be infected. We are going to enter into a long cycle of the coronavirus”.
Expert said if the habit of using masks also goes away along with relaxing each and every restriction, the situation may go out of control very shortly.
They referred that in many countries like Singapore, even in our neighbouring country India, using mask is mandatory.
Government should take necessary steps so that using masks becomes mandatory whenever people go outside.
About using masks, Prof Be-Nazir said, “It is very important right now that the government should take necessary measures for making use of masks mandatory.”
Professor Dr Firdausi Qadri, who was awarded for the 22nd L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards this year, said, “ Using mask is the best alternative preventive measure so far. Because, in the high transmission, we shall be COVID-19 positive without bearing any symptoms. And we shall have also power to transmit the disease to other people.”
Admitting the importance of using mask, Prof Dr Md Abu Yusuf Fakir, Additional Director General of Directorate General of Health Education, said, “I shall give proposal of using mask to the government so that the proposal gets legality.”
He, however, advised to use locally made masks with three tiers polestar cloths to remain safe from transmission.
Academicians said they do not want the government open schools until the virus stops spreading in the country.
“There is no chance of opening educational institution for now. If it happens, a disaster will fall on us,” Hamida Ali, founding principal of South Point School and College in Dhaka, told the media.
“We don’t want our children fall victim to the virus outbreak. If the government moves to open the schools, teachers and parents will protest the move together,” she said adding that students do not follow hygiene guidelines and practice social distancing.
“Even the adults don’t follow the health guidelines despite repeated instructions from the government. How come it can be ensured that students will follow the guidelines?” said Hamida, who is a former principal of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College.
“When the outbreak will pass, let us shorten the text curriculum and take extra classes to finish the study. No institutions should be opened until the virus stops spreading, not a moment before.
“Different measures including extra classes can be taken after schools reopens to recover the loss,” Hamida added.