Staff Reporter :
Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Tuesday said that the government was going to impose several restrictions within a week to prevent severe contagious Omicron variant of Covid-19 in the country.
“The infection of Omicron variant is on surge across the globe including our neighbouring India seriously. Several cases of Omicron infection have also been found in our country. In this situation, we will impose restrictions to prevent the surge of this variant within a week,” the minister said while talking with journalists in the Secretariat.
The minister said that those decisions were taken in an inter-ministerial meeting on Monday adding that the authorities decided to impose these restriction after 15 days, but now they had decided to enforce it within a week.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque said that 15 days would be too late in the light of a surge in Covid cases.
Some of the other measures to fight omicron include strengthening screening procedures at all land ports, seaports and airports, imposing stricter quarantine rules.
“Police will monitor the quarantine procedures so that no one could leave place before completing the tenure,” he said. Zahid Maleque said that letters had been sent to the officials including DCs and police supers in this regards.
Meanwhile, the minister has said that the authorities are not considering a shutdown right now.
“The government may enforce it if the Coronavirus situation in the country deteriorates further,” he said.
The health minister said that several states of neighbouring India have already imposed restrictions like curfew and school shutdowns.
Zahid Maleque said, the government is going to impose some curbs, including cutting public events, limiting the number of passengers in public transports to half of the capacities, restricting unvaccinated consumers at restaurants, as well as penalty for not wearing masks outdoors.
“Bus and other public transports have to carry passengers half of its capacity. Besides, passengers would not be allowed in transports without wearing face masks,” the minister said.
If the passengers are found in transports without wearing face masks, they and the motor workers must face penalties, he added. The health minister also said that the restaurants would be kept open till 8pm at night instead of 10 pm.
He said, customers have to enter restaurants after showing their vaccination certificates only. He said the customers must enter and leave the restaurants wearing face masks and only unveil face while taking foods there.
The minister stressed on also the need to enforce a mask mandate along with other health and safety rules.
The government is also considering curbs on social events, including picnics, religious gatherings and prayers at places of worship, as per the decision, the minister said.
