After two months of countrywide shutdown, the government is planning to slowly ease the restrictions in order to restart the economy. However, health experts opine that Bangladesh has not fulfilled the six conditions the World Health Organization (WHO) set for relaxing coronavirus-related restrictions.
A renowned Bangladeshi physician living in the UK, Dr Raqibul Mohammad Anwar made these claims recently. The first condition of the WHO was bringing the transmission under control. But in Bangladesh, transmission is increasing dangerously every day.
As the country is very densely populated, easing lockdown can be very risky as the number of infected is increasing at an alarming rate. Countries which have relaxed and lifted restrictions have seen renewed clusters of infections.
Public health experts fear that
lifting restrictions could make
the situation much worse
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. Public health experts fear that lifting restrictions could make the situation much worse.
Moreover, majority of the population in Bangladesh is not conscious about wearing masks and maintaining proper hygiene. As a result, the country will likely be plunged into uncertainty and may enter into a long cycle of the coronavirus.
According to former Director of Disease Control of Bangladesh Prof Be-Nazir Ahmed, the government should ensure that using masks becomes mandatory whenever people go outside. This rule must be strictly enforced in order to prevent the spread of the virus.
Though the government has decided to lift the lockdown in phases, large gatherings and crowds must be prevented at all costs. All public spaces must be strictly monitored and special care must be taken to ensure social distancing on public transports.
As the country moves to lift restrictions, we must all come together to do our part in preventing the spread of the deadly virus.