Staff Reporter :
National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 expressed its deep anxiety saying the new variant of the covid-19 might be spread across the country soon through the passengers returned from the United Kingdom.
The committee in its meeting held on Monday night warned that the new variant of Covid-19 virus might be spread in Bangladesh seriously for reducing the passengers’ quarantine tenure.
The Health Ministry issued a notice on January13 saying that the UK returned passengers would go for four days compulsory quarantine instead of the previous decision of keeping them in 14 days.
Sources said, countries across the globe stopped travelling UK after a new variant of the coronavirus were found in the kingdom. But Bangladesh has not suspended the travelling, rather imposed 14 days compulsory quarantine for every passenger returning to the country since January 1.
Reliable sources from virologists said the new variant found in UK and other countries have not been found in Bangladesh yet. The health ministry notice said the passengers have to be tested covid-19 after four days of staying in the compulsory quarantine. If they are found positive, then they must to go to isolation center and in case of negative, they have to go for home quarantine for the rest of 10 days.
But the national committee said, it is not scientific.
“Covid-19 can be found in human body even after fifth days. They decided to test samples of those persons after four days, but the symptoms may be found within days after he or she be tested,” said Professor Dr. Mohammad Sahidullah, Chairman of the national committee.
He urged the government to change the decision and retake the previous decision to keep those in quarantine for 14 days for stopping the new variant to be spread.
The national committee asked the government to keep all passengers for 14 days compulsory quarantine in airports.
The National committee said that it had been proved that the ‘home quarantine is not effective’.
“People ignore all health rules in case of home quarantines, but they are bound to follow the rules in official facilities,” the national committee said in its meeting. Professor Dr. Mohammad Shahidullah presided over the meeting.
The Naitonal Advisory Committee took the decision after discussing with Professor Dr. Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, the Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Health Md. Mahibur Rahman and Protocol Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Amanul Haque.
