Maintain highest possible caution

With the Covid infection rate on the rise, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the people to follow the health safety protocols to check the spread of the virus in the country.

She made the call at the weekly cabinet meeting at the Secretariat, joining it virtually from the Gono Bhaban, reports BSS.

Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam briefed reporters later.

"Wherever we are -- vaccinated or not -- we should follow three protocols -- wear facemasks, maintain the highest possible caution and crowd less in public places such as recreational sites or social events," Anwarul quoted the PM as saying.

At the meeting, Hasina said, "We don't think that we are in a comfort zone. Yes, we are in a much better position … it doesn't give us the certainty that we are in a comfort zone."

Over the last few days, experts have been suggesting not to be at ease at this moment as the country saw the highest infection rate in the last summer.

The PM said, "It cannot be assured that Covid infection would not peak again.

"The peak [Covid infection] was in the high summer though all of us thought it would happen in winter… April, May and June [this year] will be our high summer and that is why our experts suggest that we remain cautious in these months."

No one is fully protected with a single shot of vaccine. All are advised to wear facemasks even after inoculation, she told the meeting.

In reply to a query about steps to encourage people to wear facemasks, the cabinet secretary said they are observing the situation and carrying out different campaigns to that end.

About the decline in the number of vaccinations, he said the health ministry and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) are working for mass inoculation.

Motivational programmes are being carried out in unions and upazilas to make the people aware of the health protocols to curb the spread of the virus, he mentioned.

Asked what measures the government will take if the infection rate jumps again, the cabinet secretary said the government has so far worked prioritising people's life and livelihood and will do so in future.

Meanwhile, at least 912 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus across the country in 24 hours till 8:00am yesterday, taking the total number of Covid cases to 552,087, according to the DGHS.

Earlier on Monday, the health authorities confirmed 845 new cases. The number was 606 on Sunday.

The daily infection rate rose to 5.13 percent yesterday. It was 4.98 percent on Monday and 4.3 percent on Sunday, according to DGHS data.

Bangladesh reported its first Covid case on March 8 last year and the first death on March 18.

The virus has so far claimed 8,489 lives in the country.