It is time to adopt new strategies to fight coronavirus contagion 
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Wednesday
February 08, 2023

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 2023
It is time to adopt new strategies to fight coronavirus contagion 

Analysis

Prof Saif Ullah Munshi
20 April, 2020, 10:05 pm
Last modified: 21 April, 2020, 12:55 pm

Related News

  • Covid remains a public health emergency, says WHO
  • 4 Chinese nationals detected with Covid at Dhaka airport
  • Potential China wave is 'wild card' for ending Covid emergency: WHO advisors
  • WHO chief hopes Covid will no longer be emergency next year
  • The Prof Writes: Covid-19 - The one that got away from us

It is time to adopt new strategies to fight coronavirus contagion 

Unless a patient has breathing difficulties, they should stay at home and take medicines. Only 20 percent patients might have to come to hospital

Prof Saif Ullah Munshi
20 April, 2020, 10:05 pm
Last modified: 21 April, 2020, 12:55 pm
It is time to adopt new strategies to fight coronavirus contagion 

The country has stepped into the fourth stage of the coronavirus pandemic and this new status demands new strategies to fight the contagion. 

The Directorate General of Health Services is yet to make any such revelation to the public but it declared last week that the entire Bangladesh was then facing the risk of the coronavirus pandemic.

Clear instructions must be issued by the authorities concerned with regard to what people with manifestations of the infection should do. 

According to guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO), tracing contacts of a positive case and placing them under quarantine are no longer required at this stage.

Only patients with fever, cough, and throat pain will go for test, and if found positive, they will be prescribed treatment. 

But not all patients have to get admitted to hospital. 

Unless a patient has breathing difficulties, they should stay at home and take medicines. Only 20 percent patients might have to come to hospital. In that way pressure on the health system will be reduced.  

However, a patient's condition might worsen while staying at home and in that case the government can put in place a mechanism to bring them to hospital from their home. Volunteers can be engaged to make that happen.  

All the anti-viral drugs should be made available in the market at the earliest possible time because they have proven records of being useful. Some are on clinical trials.

Alternative tests must also be conducted alongside PCR test, which require less complicated and inexpensive procedures to follow and do not involve a setup as highly sophisticated as PCR lab. For example, the antibody test, that can be done 6-7 days after the appearance of signs and symptoms. 

Because it is relatively cost-effective, the 30 percent coronavirus-positive patients who have not shown any symptoms can also be tested in this method to understand how widely the infection has spread. 

The antibody test checks how the body's immune system has responded to an infection. 

With the help of simple 10-minute training, health technologists even at the upazila health complexes can do these tests. 

The only impediment in this regard is a lack of capacity on part of the authorities concerned to make decisions quickly. They are waiting for the WHO's approval of the tests. 

Prof Saif Ullah Munshi is a virologist at BSMMU

Top News / Covid-19 in Bangladesh

Coronavirus / COVID-19 in Bangladesh

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • RMG turns to India from China to get cheaper man-made yarn
    RMG turns to India from China to get cheaper man-made yarn
  • Country's revenue earnings were Tk40,000cr more in last fiscal: Finance Minister
    Country's revenue earnings were Tk40,000cr more in last fiscal: Finance Minister
  • The world's richest person is trying to head off a succession battle
    The world's richest person is trying to head off a succession battle

MOST VIEWED

  • People stand in front of collapsed buildings following an earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, 3 February, 2023. Photo: Reuters
    Why is Turkey an earthquake hot spot?
  • The megaproject Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has a debt of Tk90,474 crore. Photo: Courtesy
    Projects funded with debt need to be selected prudently, and implemented timely
  • Some tough tasks on the plate for Bangladesh Bank!
    Some tough tasks on the plate for Bangladesh Bank!
  • Having sufficient reserves, strong social security needed to be safe in bad time
    Having sufficient reserves, strong social security needed to be safe in bad time
  • Resilience should be built to cope with long-term implications
    Resilience should be built to cope with long-term implications
  • Why 2012 reforms were not done is a million-dollar question
    Why 2012 reforms were not done is a million-dollar question

Related News

  • Covid remains a public health emergency, says WHO
  • 4 Chinese nationals detected with Covid at Dhaka airport
  • Potential China wave is 'wild card' for ending Covid emergency: WHO advisors
  • WHO chief hopes Covid will no longer be emergency next year
  • The Prof Writes: Covid-19 - The one that got away from us

Features

Photo: Reuters

A tragedy that will also shake up the region's geopolitics

10h | Panorama
Nimah designed by Compass Architects- Wooden tiles. Photo: Junaid Hasan Pranto

Trendy flooring designs to upgrade any space

21h | Habitat
Benefits of having high ceilings in your new home

Benefits of having high ceilings in your new home

20h | Habitat
Each Reverse Osmosi plant can produce approximately 8,000 litres of drinking water a day for around 250 families. Photo: Sadiqur Rahman

A drop in the ocean of persistent water crisis

22h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

30% companies see double-digit growth even in hard times

30% companies see double-digit growth even in hard times

12h | TBS Insight
Challenging time waiting for RMG

Challenging time waiting for RMG

19h | TBS Round Table
"Full Moon Meditation" organized by Department of Theater and Performance Studies, University of Dhaka

"Full Moon Meditation" organized by Department of Theater and Performance Studies, University of Dhaka

19h | TBS Graduates
10 cricketers who have played over 400 T20 matches

10 cricketers who have played over 400 T20 matches

19h | TBS SPORTS

Most Read

1
Photo: Courtesy
Panorama

From 'Made in Bangladesh' to 'Designed in Bangladesh'

2
Leepu realised his love for cars from a young age and for the last 40 years, he has transformed, designed and customised hundreds of cars. Photo: Collected
Panorama

'I am not crazy about cars anymore': Nizamuddin Awlia Leepu

3
Master plan for futuristic Chattogram city in the making
Districts

Master plan for futuristic Chattogram city in the making

4
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo
Economy

IMF approves $4.7 billion loan for Bangladesh, calls for ambitious reforms

5
Belal Ahmed new acting chairman of SIBL
Banking

Belal Ahmed new acting chairman of SIBL

6
Photo: Collected
Crime

Prime Distribution MD Mamun arrested in fraud case

EMAIL US
[email protected]
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2023
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - [email protected]

For advertisement- [email protected]