Committee on Covid-19 recommends complete lockdown on larger areas

The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 thinks that a complete lockdown is necessary to contain the spread of Covid-19 infection.

The committee has recommended bringing a large portion of any area under a complete lockdown on the basis of the number of Covid-19 infected people and the risks of spreading the viral infection.  

The committee at its ninth meeting on Wednesday made five recommendations, including a separate hospital for health workers, according to a press release of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).

The committee has recommended an immediate action to procure the necessary equipment for high-flow oxygen therapy in all hospitals.

As per the suggestion of the committee, the government has already decided to treat Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients in separate areas in all hospitals. 

However, the committee has said to implement the decision in the hospitals, where it has not yet been implemented. Besides, the treatment facilities for Covid-19 patients need to be further expanded.

It is said in the recommendations that National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital (NIDCH) or any other suitable hospital like the NIDCH needs to start treating Covid-19 patients soon.

Though the government has increased the number of coronavirus testing rapidly, the committee thinks measures need to be taken to improve the tests' quality and ensure that the test results come within the shortest possible time.

Besides, arrangements should be made to ensure the treatment or isolation of the suspected patients without any delay caused by waiting for the tests' results.