Apprehending that the Covid-19 situation may worsen during the upcoming winter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday rightly asked everyone to bolster preparation to fight the pandemic in wintertime. It is good to note that the prime minister personally instructed officials to take proper preparations before the outbreak onslaughts again.
This year, the coronavirus pandemic could create a winter storm, and scientists say countries need to prepare for a potential uptick in cases that could be more serious than the initial outbreak. Since coronavirus spreads more readily in winter, it could be a crucial time for the fight against the pandemic. The challenge for government is to ensure the peak is not so much that it overburdens our healthcare system again.
It is tough to say whether the nation will reach or surpass the grim peaks of the summer, when we were seeing 15,000 to 20,000 new cases every day. Therefore, Bangladesh should start taking preparations considering measures to tackle the crisis, fearing infections may rise in the upcoming winter season.
The challenge for government is to ensure the peak is not so high that it overburdens our healthcare
system again
It needs no emphasising that there have always been the risks regarding the crisis escalating in winter time when the cases of respiratory complications rise alarmingly, and Covid-19 itself is a respiratory disease. In this regard, doctors should remain very careful not only to detect the Covid-19 cases but also respiratory issues since their symptoms are identical.
When it comes to halting the COVID-19 crisis, virus testing is key to diagnosing cases and tracking the epidemic. It is the only way to uncover just how many people have been infected, or could infect others. Hence, people should be encouraged more to go for Covid-19 tests whenever needed.
In this regard, we must take necessary steps to conduct adequate and accurate testing and for that our testing facilities need to be expanded. A rigorous system of test, trace and isolation can protect us. After so many disastrous errors, we must get this right.
Also, common people must abide by government orders issued to slow down the spread of coronavirus. There are worrying signs that most of us are growing laxer in keeping a distance. People across the country should take the deadly disease seriously and take more precautions because even developed nations like the US are not able to stop the spread of the disease despite having the best of resources and technology.