Omicron: Govt responses unclear, yet implementation the key

Public health experts have raised questions about some of the decisions the government came up with on Tuesday in response to the spread of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron.

However, they have advocated for a prompt and proper implementation of the measures.

According to the decisions taken Tuesday, health officials mull announcing "no vaccine, no service" plan, ports of entry will be instructed to strengthen virus screening, inbound passengers from the southern African countries where the variant was first reported in the third week of November will be discouraged from travelling to Bangladesh, and citizens already vaccinated and aged above 60 or belonging to a risk group will be offered booster shots.

"We need to buy time. We must act now to delay the entry of the dangerous strain," Prof Sayedur Rahman, pharmacology department head at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), told The Business Standard.

He opined that preventative measures should be emphasised now instead of speculating what the situation will be if the virus hits Bangladesh.

"Not only passengers from South Africa but also all inbound passengers should go through the RT-PCR test at the airports. The positive cases found at the ports should be sequenced," he noted.

The health expert also emphasised re-arranging the existing Covid treatment facilities as most of the Covid units, with declining infections, now treat general patients.

Is 'No vaccine, no service' possible?

The health minister yesterday announced plans to adopt a "no vaccine, no service" plan.

"The decision has been made as many people are not showing interest in getting vaccinated against Covid-19," Health Minister Zahid Maleque said after an inter-ministerial meeting over Omicron on Tuesday.

The health ministry will send letters to the other ministries, government offices and public offices with instructions to implement the policy, he added.

According to the health directorate, so far 6 crore people have received at least one dose and 3.66 crore people have got two doses.

Professor Sayedur said the issue is not about people's interest in getting jabs since there are many people who are yet to get the vaccine even after signing up for it a long time ago.

"The 'no vaccine, no service' plan cannot be executed with only 3.5 crore people fully immunised. Besides, it is not clear what services will be unavailable for unvaccinated people," he noted.

Minister backtracks on air link suspension

The health minister on Tuesday said, "Directives have been given to increase monitoring at the border areas of the country and to reduce flights with South African countries.

"To reduce the risk of another Covid-19 wave, we discourage anyone staying in South African countries from coming to Bangladesh at this time."

The minister on Saturday had said air links with South Africa were being suspended.

Regarding those arriving from countries with Omicron cases, he said they have to stay in a 14-day institutional quarantine to be maintained by the Armed Forces.

"Those arriving from countries with lower rates of Covid-19 infection can enter the country if they have Covid-19 negative certificates. But if infection rates rise in those countries, inbound passengers will be subjected to a 14-day quarantine," Zahid Maleque said.

The minister, however, did not mention which infection rates would be considered "high".

He also said the current 72-hour time limit of Covid-19 testing for inbound passengers will be reduced to either 48 hours or 24 hours.

Emphasising the necessity of monitoring those who have arrived from abroad, the health minister said it is important for local representatives to keep tabs on the returnees and ensure they are following virus safety guidelines.

The homes of returnees might even be marked with flags, he added.

The health minister said some 240 people have returned from South Africa in the past one month, but after entering the country they could not be traced anymore as they kept their mobile phones switched off.

Booster dose for elderly, risk-group people

The health minister Tuesday said the government has decided to provide booster doses to already jabbed citizens aged above 60 and patients with comorbidities.

"It is a very logical decision," said Dr Ashraful Hoque, an assistant professor at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute.

He, however, said the health directorate does not have exact data about patients with comorbidities.

"Many of the patients signed up for the vaccination by concealing their health issues to avert hassles," said the physician.

He noted that the government can collect data on patients from foundations such as the Cancer Society and the Diabetes Society.

Meanwhile, Professor Sayedur Rahman has suggested providing frontline health workers with booster doses to keep them "morally boosted" in the fight against the virus.

One dies of Covid in 24 hours

Bangladesh reported only one death from Covid-19 in the 24 hours till 8am Tuesday. The deceased, a woman, hailed from Dhaka division.

Besides, 273 more people tested positive for the virus during the same period.

The current positivity rate was reported at 1.38% after 19,802 samples were tested across the country.

With the latest additions, the death toll reached 27,981 and the case tally increased to 15,76,284 in the country.