Publish : 29 Nov 2021, 12:50 AMUpdate : 29 Nov 2021, 08:07 PM
It is concerning to see an uptick in global Covid cases while the new Omicron variant is threatening to wreak havoc across the world. While so far, the new variant has not been seen in the country, it might only be a matter of time before the worst descends upon us.
At this point, cutting ourselves off from the world could be an option. In the past, we have been slow to put travel bans, which has cost us. Being proactive, and identifying when to act instead of hesitating, is going to be important.
However, were we to go that route and issue travel bans, it must be done comprehensively. What is absolutely not helpful is having selective bans on countries, in particular, those that have excellent testing and detection facilities such as South Africa. This simply creates a hierarchy of nations, and far from achieving any good, is akin to theatre and nothing more.
It must also be kept in mind that, after the economic blow we have suffered during the last lockdown, this might prove more detrimental for our recovery, and the authorities must think long and hard before imposing a strict travel ban.
Bangladesh has shown that it has the capability to minimize the effects of Covid through vaccination and measures such as ensuring hand-washing, mask-wearing, and social distancing. These remain the best safety measures against the vaccine, and nothing changes with regard to them despite the impending presence of a new variant of the virus.
The low contamination rates have brought about an air of complacency in the country, and this could be a fatal mistake. Our vaccination efforts have to be ramped up; social distancing measures, mask wearing, and hand washing have to be put in place again. Overall, we must eliminate this air of complacency and be prepared for the worst. We cannot afford to go back to March 2020 again.
Taking the right steps
It is concerning to see an uptick in global Covid cases while the new Omicron variant is threatening to wreak havoc across the world. While so far, the new variant has not been seen in the country, it might only be a matter of time before the worst descends upon us.
At this point, cutting ourselves off from the world could be an option. In the past, we have been slow to put travel bans, which has cost us. Being proactive, and identifying when to act instead of hesitating, is going to be important.
However, were we to go that route and issue travel bans, it must be done comprehensively. What is absolutely not helpful is having selective bans on countries, in particular, those that have excellent testing and detection facilities such as South Africa. This simply creates a hierarchy of nations, and far from achieving any good, is akin to theatre and nothing more.
It must also be kept in mind that, after the economic blow we have suffered during the last lockdown, this might prove more detrimental for our recovery, and the authorities must think long and hard before imposing a strict travel ban.
Bangladesh has shown that it has the capability to minimize the effects of Covid through vaccination and measures such as ensuring hand-washing, mask-wearing, and social distancing. These remain the best safety measures against the vaccine, and nothing changes with regard to them despite the impending presence of a new variant of the virus.
The low contamination rates have brought about an air of complacency in the country, and this could be a fatal mistake. Our vaccination efforts have to be ramped up; social distancing measures, mask wearing, and hand washing have to be put in place again. Overall, we must eliminate this air of complacency and be prepared for the worst. We cannot afford to go back to March 2020 again.
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