‘This is ineffective; we need full lockdown’
Despite difficulties, people will have to accept a full lockdown for the greater interest of the country
The country went into countrywide lockdown yesterday (Monday) for the third time to slow down the Covid-19 infection across the country. However, on the first day of the lockdown, we saw people crowding the Shimulia Ferry Ghat in Munshiganj, flouting health guidelines and not wearing masks.
We have already learned that there are two ways we can prevent coronavirus infection. One is to maintain health guidelines and another is to take the vaccine. Increasing the number of hospital beds, as well as ICU beds, is not a permanent solution.
The infection is increasing at such a high rate that the lockdown that is being implemented - keeping offices, businesses, markets and transportation all open - is ineffective. The infection is rising because people are coming in contact with each other in crowds. This is how we got here in the first place.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
To emerge from the situation, the technical committee believes that the only solution is for people to stay at home for two weeks. To implement it, we will have to keep offices, businesses, as well as transportation shut for two weeks. If we can do that, we will see a big improvement in slowing down the infection. The infection will continue, but the infection rate will come down to a great extent. There is no alternative to this and it is a tested method.
We are now in a dangerous situation with the Delta strain of Covid-19 spreading in the country. The situation will undoubtedly get worse if we fail to contain the spread right now.
One of the two biggest Muslim festivals, Eid al-Adha, will be celebrated a couple of weeks from now. Like in previous years, if people go to hometowns to celebrate the festival, and at the same time, if people go to the cow markets to buy sacrificial animals, there is no doubt that the Covid-19 infection will increase.
We have seen such increasing trends during the last two Eids. It would have been best to keep the haats closed, but we all know that is not possible to do. In that case, we have to encourage people to buy animals online. If only a few people go to the haats, maintaining health guidelines, we hope things will not get out of hand.
There are some people who work as day labourers. They will need food assistance as well as financial assistance. The government has already initiated a food programme and is providing food assistance to poor people during the lockdown. The programme has become successful too. The government should take up some more programmes like that over the next two weeks. Alongside the government, wealthy people and NGOs should also come forward to stand by poor people. Even if they do not get any assistance from any one, the disadvantaged people will have to accept the situation for the greater interest of the people.
The existing hospitals can accommodate some more patients who will come down with Covid-19. But, if the number of patients keep increasing, the hospitals will run out of beds soon. It is also true that hospital beds, ICU beds and oxygen are not a permanent solution. For this reason, our main focus is to prevent the infection. Prevention is cheaper than trying to cure people.
The mass media will have to play a crucial role in disseminating information to create awareness among the people for maintaining health guidelines. On the other hand, the law enforcing agency members will have to be strict in implementing the government-imposed lockdown. If needed, the government will have to give exemplary punishment to those who are flouting the rules.
Prof. Mohammod Shahidullah is the Chairman of the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19
