A proper lockdown at last?

The country, on Friday, recorded its second highest numbers of both deaths (108) and infections (5,869) from Covid-19. This resulted in the government making history and announcing a complete countrywide "lockdown" for a week (starting Monday), instead of just "restrictions on public and traffic movement" as it had done in the past. This means that every citizen must stay home, and only emergency services, transportation of essential goods, and the media will be exempt from these restrictions. No doubt, this signals the gravity of the current Covid-19 crisis and we need not dive deep into the last few weeks to understand why.

The situation outside the capital has been morbid since the spread of the Delta variant of the virus extended the second wave, especially in bordering districts. Of the 916 people who have died of the virus in Khulna division so far, "164 passed away in the last one week alone", says the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). In Satkhira Medical College Hospital, the Covid-19 strain is so intense that patients are having to be kept on the hospital's floors due to a shortage of beds. The Director General of the DGHS has opined that the country's already burnt out doctors, nurses, and health staffers will "not be able to provide services if the infection spreads" much further.

On top of this, the threat of another Covid-19 surge looms on the horizon as Eid-al-Azha nears, during which the virus can spread in the overcrowded cattle markets. Despite the current crisis, 23 such markets are to be set up in Dhaka alone. It is concerning because many of the cattle come to Dhaka from places which have been experiencing positivity rates above 70 percent (such as Khulna and Rangpur on June 24). An estimated at least one crore people are expected to gather in these cattle markets and it will be a tough task to ensure that they are all wearing masks and practicing social distancing.

We must urge the government to not be anything but rigid in its enforcement of this lockdown—no matter what the occasion. There must be a plan that protects the poor during this time and ensures that emergency services are being provided in as efficient a manner as possible, under these dire circumstances. We appreciate the authorities' dedication in deploying not only the police but also members of the army and the BGB to ensure proper implementation of the lockdown. But we would also remind them to not let go of this commitment as the lockdown period goes on, and if it extends—as has been the case in the past. Members of the public must voluntarily practice health guidelines and keep each other safe from the virus, but we believe the government must also stay committed to duties it has assigned to itself and to its arms.