Staff Reporter :
The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 expressed utter disappointment at the government’s handling of the covid-19 during the deadly second wave.
“Suspension of the lockdown during Eid-ul-Azha holidays was a reason behind the latest surge in infections and deaths. I am disappointed, of course. This is very unfortunate,” said NTAC Chairman Dr Mohammad Shahidullah while talking with journalists on Tuesday.
In the third week of July, the lockdown restrictions were suspended for nine days for celebration of the Eid when record number of infections and deaths were found.
A large member of people gathered in shopping malls and travelled to their village homes.
The strict lockdown was imposed from July 1 when almost everything was ordered to be shut from markets to mass transportations.
Army and Border Guards were patrolling besides law enforcers in the streets.
The advisory panel warned against the suspension saying it could exacerbate an ongoing surge driven by the highly contagious Delta variant.
Meanwhile in the recent days, the infection and death toll are climbing up.
Dr. Shahidullah said, the upsurge is multifactor and it is the result of the lifting of the lockdown.
“It is obviously the result of the violation of health rules and social distancing. The safety measures were ignored rampant during the nine-day pause in the lockdown,” he said.
“If the people had even masks on the faces up then the situation would not have worsened such,” the Professor said.
He said also that the low vaccination rate also contributed to the surge in cases.
“The Delta variant is responsible for 80pc of the new cases,” Dr Shahidullah said.
He suggested to ensure maintaining of health rules and the lockdown implementation properly.
The number of daily sample-tests needs to be increased to at least 100,000,” he suggested.
Stressing on isolation of confirmed covid patients, he suggested for quarantining of those who came in contact with patients. And finally, more people need to be inoculated.
Virologist Professor Dr. Nazrul Islam, Member of the committee blamed mismanagement at hospitals behind the recent surge.
“Some hospitals, dealing with Covid-19 patients, have no oxygen supply system,” Professor Dr. Nazrul Islam said.
“Patients who need ICU beds cannot be provided with one. People are dying for these reasons. The prime minister had ordered to set up ICUs in all hospitals in district towns, but it is yet to be executed.” Nazrul Islam said.
