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C-19: No alternative to face mask as infections rise

Govt issues 6 directives

Published : Wednesday, 29 June, 2022 at 12:00 AM  Count : 725

Coronavirus infection in the country is suddenly increasing. Experts said that there is no alternative way without wearing face mask to deal with the fourth wave of the pandemic in the country as in the last few days the Covid-19 detection rate is rapidly increasing.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), keeping pace with the increase in sample testing in the last few days, the detection rate is also increasing.
Even before a week, the detection rate was below 10 per cent. As the Covid-19 situation has escalated, the National Advisory Technical Committee on Covid-19 has suggested that wearing a mask be made mandatory in all cases, "no mask no service" policy be enforced, social distance be strictly maintained and public gatherings must be boycotted.
In this context, on Tuesday, the government has issued six directives including wearing a mask, avoiding public gatherings as much as possible, and strictly maintain hygiene rules to contain coronavirus infection.
The directives:
1. Requesting media to
raise awareness among people for maintaining health guidelines
2. Making use of mask mandatory everywhere, enforcement of 'No mask no service' policy, ensure social distancing and avoid public gatherings.
3. Ensure use of mask and maintain social distance in all religious places including mosques, temples and churches.
4. Asking people to undergo Covid-19 test if they see Covid symptoms including fever, cough and cold.
5. Ensuring mask use at all shopping malls, shops, markets, hotel-restaurants or facing legal action.
6. Imams of mosques to give sermons for maintaining health guidelines and wearing masks to all during Jumma prayers.
The Cabinet Division on Tuesday sent a letter to the secretaries and divisional commissioners of all the ministries to implement the six directives.
According to experts, one of the main means of spreading coronavirus is the tiny droplets that come out of the airways when people are talking, singing, coughing or sneezing. Although research is ongoing, it is now well known that the virus can spread through people who have no symptoms. This means that some people can become infected, and show no symptoms. As it is not always possible to maintain distance from others in crowded places, experts advised to use cloth masks to keep everyone safe in such situations.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also emphasised the use of masks to prevent omicron. The largest scientific study on the effectiveness of masks against Covid-19 was conducted in Bangladesh, under the supervision of the Stanford University of the United States. The researchers distributed free surgical and cloth masks to about 340,000 people in 600 villages and explained the proper use and benefits of the masks. The results of this study were published in 2021. Another similar study in Europe was published in the British Medical Journal.
Both studies show that if everyone uses the face mask properly, the rate of Covid-19 infection can be reduced by up to 53 per cent. Another study in Bangkok found that proper use of masks when in contact with a person infected with Covid-19 reduced the risk of infection by about 77 per cent. The maximum effectiveness of the mask can be confirmed only when everyone will wear it properly.
Mushtaq Hossain, Adviser to the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), said, "Infection is now on the rise. It means, a new wave of the Covid pandemic has come. Now that many have been vaccinated, the amount of damage may be less. Whoever suffers the loss will have it. Moreover, many of the infected patients will have to face the post-Covid complications. So, those who have not been vaccinated yet must be vaccinated."
Dr ABM Abdullah, Emeritus Professor and personal physician of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said, "There is no alternative to wearing face mask to deal with the fourth wave of the pandemic. Everyone should practice hand-washing and maintain proper social hygiene rules and social distance."
He warned that the new strain of the virus was spreading rapidly and widely.
"The new strain of coronavirus spreads quickly and widely and one infected patient can infect up to 10 people. But there is nothing to worry about even if the rate of infection increases," he added.











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