As China gets battered with a new variant of the coronavirus and cases of the same variant have been detected in India, Bangladesh health officials on Sunday advised the public to take again precautions against Covid-19, including getting vaccinated and wearing masks in crowds.
The national advisory committee on Covid-19 has already been alerted about the new variant, BF7, which is a sub-variant of Omicron.
The Chinese health system is currently racing to bolster its health system as Covid-19 surges over there, sparking global concern.
On the other hand, India too is seeing an increase in new Covid-19 cases.
Cautioning that the new variant is more contagious, Prof Ahmedul Kabir, additional director general (administration) at the Directorate General of Health Services, said in an online briefing: “The new variant is highly transmissible with a shorter incubation period. Therefore, people, especially those who have a weak immune system, must take booster doses and wear masks everywhere.”
To determine whether the new variant has already started infecting people in Bangladesh, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research has been asked to conduct genome sequencing, he said.
On Saturday night, the National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 also held a briefing sensing the urgency and recommended the government take precautionary steps.
“We asked the government to start antigen tests at all ports so that we can isolate infected people,” said Prof Mohammad Shahidullah, president of the panel.
The government was also recommended to activate all Covid-19 related precautionary steps.
“All hospitals in the country have been instructed to prepare Covid-19 isolation wards and be ready for patients,” said Prof Ahmedul Kabir.
Prof Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, director general of the DGHS, conducted the briefing.