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Coronavirus Pandemic

Flouting physical distancing must stop: Experts


Published : 10 Jun 2020 09:58 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 09:30 PM

There is no other alternative but to follow government and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines rigidly to stop the spread of Covid-19, say experts.
They stressed, people should become more aware regarding health guidelines as Bangladesh registered the 1,000-mark in Covid-19 deaths on Wednesday.
In 24 hours, three thousand one hundred and ninety people tested positive with a total death rate at 1.35 percent.

Public health expert physician, Aminul Islam of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) highlighted that the key to coronavirus prevention is to isolate the infected persons as soon as possible through sample testing.

“At the same time, contact tracing and quarantining the people who came in contact with them [infected]. Lockdown can be effective in case of hefty spree of infections in certain areas”

Following physical distancing, boosting the immune system, and if tested positive he/she must remain isolated; there’s no other alternative as there is no proven vaccine against this virus, DrAminul further added.

According to the guidelines of the World Health Organization, quarantine must be maintained for a minimum of 21 days. At this time, all the people in the area should be tested for isolation and quarantine of the infected persons.

If necessary, they have to be treated at a government-designated institution. Countries that have so far succeeded in preventing the deadly coronavirus worldwide have adopted this approach.

“In the case of a coronavirus epidemic, people who have been in contact with a person for a long time are asked to go for voluntary isolation. An automated location tracking mobile app has also been introduced,” Dr Esraf Hossain of Ibn-e Sina Hospital said.
However, it is not working because not everyone in Bangladesh uses smartphones, he added.

Effective lockdown and contact tracing are the only way to prevent corona, said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University's (BSMMU) former vice chancellor and virologist Professor Nazrul Islam.

He underscored that the Department of Health was not so active at the beginning in approaching corona control and prevention. People who were brought back from Wuhan, China, were first quarantined. So far it was good. After that no one else from abroad was quarantined and the first infection started through them.

Dr. Nazrul Islam further said that decision taken by the government to carry out zone-based lockdown at present will not be beneficial if it is not strictly implemented. No one will be allowed out or into the area.

“At the same time, if all the samples of the area are tested and isolated and quarantined, good results will prevail. So, the government must focus on strict implementation.”