Reza Mahmud :
Coronavirus infection rate in Bangladesh is high- around 22 per cents-for a long time, which experts mark as unusual.
Many of the public health experts thought that the 22 percent infection rate brought it on peak, but when this level sustain for longtime and even increased, they mark it as plateau.
The experts said no country has gotten lowered in infections without taking aggressive measures.
“The country witnessed around 22 percent infection rate since May 25 to first week of this July. But nowadays the infection rates have crossed the previous records and reached to 24 percent on Sunday (July12). It is a very hazardous situation. Without taking aggressive measures no country can lower the virus spreading,” Professor Dr. Nazrul Islam, former Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, told The New Nation on Sunday.
He suggested the government to take stern measure to restrain the fatal disease spreading in the country.
Experts said that China, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Italy, United Kingdom (UK) and Spain have got rid of the virus spreading through aggressive actions to contain the diseases.
They stressed on massive test, identification and sending the infected people to isolations.
“Government has to extend test more aggressively. After detecting the infected persons must send to isolations. Exercising these continuously, the infection rate may be lowering soon and at a stage we can get rid of the virus spreading,” Professor Nazrul Islam, also Member of the National Technical Advisory Committee for Covid-19, said.
He said people must wear facemask strictly during staying out of their homes.
“No any single person should be allowed to go out of home without facemask. It should be ensured strictly if necessary using law enforcers,” Professor Nazrul Islam said.
Experts also said that people have a major role to curb the virus spreading among the countrymen.
Dr. Mukhles uz Zaman Hero told The New Nation, “We know that the virus infection reached on peak in the country for long. But there is no downstream we found yet. It is really unusual and very disappointing.”
He said the infection rate would not be decreased naturally. The government and citizens have to play vital role if we really want to eliminate the fatal disease from our motherland. The situation would not be normalized without active actions from both sides.
The public health experts said people from lower income group are commonly unconscious to follow the health safety measures, but the government has to ensure everyone of the measures outlined by the Directorate General of the Health Services (DGHS).
Staying home, washing hands frequently for minimum 20 seconds every time, using facemask outside and following social distance must strictly be maintained for the sake of containing the fatal disease, they stressed.
The experts said the government has reopened markets, plazas, shopping malls and public transports after 66 days of lockdown. But the days of shutdown have been passed without taking fruitful exit plan or strategy which made us sufferers from the massive contamination of the diseases, they said.
