Take Covid booster, wear mask: DGHS

Health officials today urged people to take caution, including taking booster jabs and wearing masks in crowded areas, as the national advisory committee alerted for a potential new variant that already swept China and has been detected in India.

Caused by a highly transmissible new subvariant of Omicron-BF18, the Chinese health system is under pressure as infections, and deaths have spiralled.

Meantime, the variant has also caused a rise in new Covid-19 cases in neighbouring India.

"The new variant is capable of infecting many people within a shorter period. So, taking a booster -- especially for those with vulnerability, and wearing masks is a must," Prof Ahmedul Kabir, additional director general (administration) at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said at an online briefing.

The new subvariant of Omicron is four times higher transmissible and the incubation period is shorter enabling it to infect many people at a time, he said.

"The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research has been asked to conduct genome sequencing to detect if the variant is already in the country," he said.

Last night, National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 also held a meeting and urged the government to take precautionary measures.

Speaking at the briefing, Prof Mohammad Shahidullah, president of the NTAC, said, "We have recommended the government to arrange antigen tests at all ports for all suspected incoming people so that they can be isolated."

The committee has also recommended activating all Covid-19 related precautionary measures.

Prof Ahmedul Kabir said they (DGHS) have already instructed all hospitals countrywide to prepare the Covid-19 isolation wards. "The DNCC Covid-19 Hospital has also been kept ready to receive patients."

Prof Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, director general of the DGHS, conducted the briefing.