Reza Mahmud :
Social gatherings are found everywhere ignoring the government imposed restrictions and health safety rules. It is making the experts anxious about the spreading of the fatal covid virus.
The people are breaching the restrictions at the international trade fair and other social and religious functions when the country logged 11,434 new covid cases in a single day on Friday with 12 more deaths.
Meanwhile, the Covid positivity rate increased to 28.49pc in the last 24 hours from Thursday’s 26.37pc.
The government has imposed restrictions on all kinds of gatherings including marriage ceremony and religious meetings across the country in the wake of high spreading of the Covid variant Omicron.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque announced it while addressing the media after attending the DC conference on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet division on Friday issued a gazette notification announcing fresh closure of all schools and colleges till February 6.
The notification also has directed that any kinds of gatherings such as political, social, religious and state functions must be limited by not more than 100 people at a time.
It also mentioned that every invitee must have to carry vaccination certificate and PCR test certificate of the last 24 hours.
But, people ignore the restrictions at all.
Dhaka international trade fair is to all are creating gatherings in the fair every day.
People are violating all health rules including wearing face masks in markets, public transports, and shopping plazas widely.
Public health experts marked the government policy of imposing restriction
and closing educational institutes keeping international trade fair open, as contradictory.
“Keeping the international trade fair open and similar other opportunities of other gatherings of shops and markets, marriage ceremonies and other gatherings are contradictory with government’s measures,” Professor Dr. M. Muzaherul Huq, former Advisor of the World Health Organisation told The New Nation on Friday.
The professor said, “Imposing restrictions will definitely limit contamination. But the reality is whether people are being involved with it to abide by the restrictions.”
Public health experts said, the restrictions need to be strictly maintained with proper strict monitoring and follow up measures.
Whatever measures are taken, it must be locally measured involving local leaders, administrators and public representatives, experts said.
Masks to all people and at least two washable quality masks should be provided by the government.
They also suggested to make it punishable offence for ignoring order.
The experts said treatment should be available with isolation at all upazila hospitals. Early management saves live.
All senior citizens should be vaccinated with booster doses to reduce contamination and death.
