COVID-19
Folk singer Indramohan Rajbongshi dies
Prominent folk singer, researcher and Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra vocal artiste Indramohan Rajbongshi died of Covid-19 at a hospital in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Indramohan, who had tested positive for Covid-19, breathed his last at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) around 10:20 am.
The Ekushey Padak recipient was admitted to the hospital on Monday with multiple health complications.
In the early 1950s’, Rajbongshi started to learn music from his grandfather Krishna Das Rajbongshi.
In 1998, Rajbongshi established a folk organisation, Bangladesh Lok Sangeet Parishad (Folk Song Council).
Also read: Noted singer Jane Alam passes away
He wrote about 100 folk songs for children, songs on the Liberation War and the Language Movement.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Indramohan Rajbangshi.
In a condolence message, she said that the contribution of the Ekushey Padak winning brilliant singer in flourishing the country's folksongs will be remembered.
Also Read: Singer Andrew Kishore passes away
She prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.
How to strengthen your immune system to prevent COVID-19 infections?
With the recent surge of coronavirus infections, conscious people are seeking all the possible ways to boost immunity. Although vaccines are available, the whole world wouldn't be vaccinated overnight. It will take years to vaccinate the seven billion people. And for third-world countries, vaccination could be a rare thing. Hence, defending COVID-19 with our body's immune system will be the only way to survive. Strengthening your immune to prevent COVID-19 is collective and long-term work. One cannot simply gain the immune right away. However, you can gradually achieve the proper immune system through a healthy lifestyle and physical activity.
Read Vitamin C: Where to Found and How Much to Consume
Boost your Immune through Practicing Healthy Lifestyle
Having a proper sleep, taking nutritious meals, and leading a stress-free lifestyle can definitively raise the functionality of your immune system.
Getting quality sleep is a significant health behavior to function the immune system properly, which also works on boosting physical and mental health as well as the quality of life. According to the experts and doctors getting more than seven hours of sleep is essential to make your adult body's metabolism work suitably. However, 11-14 hours of sleep for infants or toddlers, 10-13 hours for preschoolers, 9-12 hours for school-going kids, and 8-10 hours for the teens are necessary.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh breaks records with 7,213 daily cases, 66 deaths
With the surge of COVID-19, our stress level is also getting high accordingly. It is normal to get stress during this global pandemic. But, staying stress-free is highly essential to keep your body fit. For a stress-free lifestyle, you can take healthy meals, practice regular exercise, take self-care and maintain COVID-19 health protocols. Each of these behaviors is connected to our stress-free lifestyle.
Increase Immune System with physical activity and exercise
A mild, intense physical activity is connected with a better immune function. Hence you should continue regular physical activity to increase your immune system. However, physical activity can be in many forms, which you can practice for the wellbeing of your health.
The first thing you can do is keep your body moving. It can be any kind of intense aerobic physical activity. Experts recommend having moderate exercise at least 150-300 minutes per week. This can keep your body's metabolism on track.
Read Easy Homemade Summer Drinks to Beat the Heat and Increase Immunity
If you are unable to do aerobics activity, you can try indoor activities. It can be walking briskly in the house or even up and down the stairs every day for 10-15 minutes for 2 or 3 times. Besides, you may also dance with your favorite music, or exercise on home cardio machines, or even you can try jump rope.
If you can go outside of your home, you can also walk or run on the f roads. Though you cannot go outside of your house, working out at home should be okay. Outdoor activities are way more useful than indoor activities. Nevertheless, if you are going out, you should keep in mind that you will need to stay at least 6 feet away from others.
Read Coronavirus Tips: Immunity Booster Herbal Teas to Prevent Infection
Furthermore, regular physical exercise at home will also work. You can download a workout app on your smartphone and follow that to start your physical exercise at home.
Yoga is another way to keep your body moving. Deep breathing, along with mindfulness, works as a catalyst to reduce anxiety. Therefore, your stress level will definitely reduce through yoga. You try watching a yoga video with instructions to start yoga at home.
Take Food to Enhance the Immunity
All your exercise will not work if you don't take proper nutrition. Even though you don't exercise, you need nutrients to strengthen the body's immunity during the COVID-19. You can take the nutrients from natural resources such as fruits and vegetables.
Read Where to Buy Grocery Online in Dhaka during Quarantine?
Vitamin C is the ultimate shield against the coronavirus and any bacteria. You can get Vitamin C on green fruits and vegetables such as grapefruit, lemon, broccoli, bell peppers, green peppers, etc.
Vitamin D is also essential to fight off any infections. Besides, it can work on building strong bones. You can find Vitamin D on mushrooms, cereals, bread, and fortified milk. However, if you want to take Vitamin D via a natural source, you can stay under the sunlight for 5-10 minutes every day.
Vitamin A keeps your skin and tissue healthy which also works against infections and boosts the immune system. Sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots are the common sources of Vitamin A.
Also read: Safe Lifestyle in COVID-19 Lockdown: Do's, Don'ts, and Precautions
Vitamin E is another vital element for your body's immune system. It is an essential antioxidant that works in fighting against cell damages. Plant-based foods are a great source of Vitamin E. Commonly, nuts and peanut butter are usual sources to get Vitamin E.
Finally, Zinc is one of the essential antioxidants for COVID-19 patients as well as healthy persons. It increases the metabolism that also boosts the healing process. You can find Zinc on shellfish, beans, meat, and seeds/nuts.
Apart from these natural sources, you can also take supplements as we may not buy these foods always. Vitamin supplements are available over the counter, so you don't need prescriptions to buy those. But it is recommended to take advice from medical practitioners or doctors.
Read Honey Benefits: What Happens to Your Body When You Consume Honey
Limitations of Immune System Against COVID-19
It is essential to keep in mind that the strong immune system will not work to prevent you from getting COVID-19. It can just help you to recover quickly if you ever contract coronavirus. So, if you have a strong immune system, coronavirus may not damage your body parts.
Final Words
It is always good to maintain COVID-19 health safety protocols such as wearing a mask, keeping social distance, washing your hands frequently, maintaining good hygiene, and cough etiquette.
There is a saying that "prevention is better than cure," which everyone should follow during this coronavirus global pandemic. New variations of COVID-19 do not have a significantly proven cure yet. But we can prevent it or even fight it by strengthening our immune system.
Read Tulsi Tea Health Benefits: Know the Magical Herb Holy Basil
Brac engaging with communities to build Covid-19 resilience
BRAC provided Covid-19 prevention information to 37.56 million households and conducted 13,985 safe deliveries at BRAC maternity centres in the last one year.
Over 12 lakh households in seven districts received covid-19 prevention messages between March 2020 and February 2021, according to a statement on Tuesday.
So far, BRAC has trained and deployed 659 Community Support Team (CST) members under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and 773 CST members under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). In addition, BRAC community health workers supported government teams to track cases and refer cases to national facilities.
BRAC community support team in the field helping communities build covid-19 resilience.
Due to upsurge the covid-19 transmission, BRAC has stepped up its community-driven response to deliver essential healthcare services to those most vulnerable in an undisrupted manner.
Also read: BRAC to increase capacities of partner NGOs
“BRAC will create community resilience to prevent transmission, improve home management and facilitate testing, taking other stakeholders alongside in the hotspots,” said Morseda Chowdhury, associate director, BRAC’s Health, Nutrition and Population Programme (HNPP).
Referring to the economic hardship novel coronavirus has brought upon particularly the low and lower-middle income people, she said that hardware support in terms of cash or kind nudges behavioural improvements.
Currently, community support teams formed under the HNPP are operating in six districts putting the communities at the front and centre of the mitigation strategy. Funded by UK Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the project titled “COVID-19 response through community mobilisation and strengthening of community clinics” is operating in 51 upazilas in Bagerhat, Bhola, Sherpur, Narayanganj, Kishoreganj and Bogra districts.
Also read: Canadian High Commission team visits BRAC development programmes
Under a separate project, BRAC community support teams are offering health messages for behavioural change of its programme participants in two upazilas in Gazipur. Implemented with its own funding since September 2020, the initiative titled “Community-based Covid-19 response project” offers services in Kaliganj and Kapasiaupazilas of Gazipur.
In the project being implemented in the first six districts, community support teams, each with two community health workers, are visiting door-to-door to interact with the households. Community healthcare workers of the government are also involved in the process.
The teams offer healthcare service messages, including maternal and child healthcare service packages. The teams try to find out if any families have members with covid-19 symptoms and refer them to upazila health complex, if found any.
BRAC has also taken initiative to form COVID-19 prevention committees having both influential figures and common people from the localities as members, all of whom actively engage in sensitising people on coronavirus prevention through awareness messages.
To ensure treatment of suspected or covid-19 patients, BRAC is also offering training and logistic support to the local family planning centres and community clinics.
So far, 27,000 covid-19 suspects have been identified in these 51 upazilas. These committees along with BRAC’s community support teams are relentlessly spreading awareness messages on health and hygiene, including those to prevent coronavirus to 12 lakh households in this area. They also distributed 12 lakh masks and installed 50,000 hand washing stations in these upazilas.
On the other hand, the project being implemented in two upazilas of Gazipur aims to raise awareness of the community to minimise covid-19 transmission in the Kaliganj and Kapasiaupazilas and refer patients with symptoms to the nearest healthcare centres.
The teams are monitoring public behaviour in four particular places of public gathering, namely, markets, bus stands, mosques and salons in these two upazilas. They observe if the individuals maintain particular preventive and cautionary measures and whether necessary preventive measures are in place. In the markets, for example, they observe if there are separate paths for entry and exit, whether there are adequate hand washing facilities and if buyers and sellers are wearing masks.
At the bus stands the teams monitor if passengers, staff and others maintain social distancing and wear masks and check for sufficient hand washing facility and other necessary hygiene practices.
They also check whether or not disinfectants are sprayed in the transports regularly. In the mosques, BRAC teams monitor proper wearing of masks, carrying their own prayer mats and maintaining social distancing by the people congregating for prayers.
At the salons, proper wearing of masks by both the clients and service providers, keeping standard three feat distance in the seating arrangement and display of covid-19 awareness slogans at the entrances are checked by the teams.
In these two upazilas, 160 community corona protection committees comprising 1,159 members, including local leaders and influential and general people are actively engaged in spreading covid-19 awareness messages.
The teams visit households to check covid-19 suspects in households and circulate information on mitigation strategies to the families. They also refer covid-19 suspects to healthcare centres, while arrange for telecounseling services by expert medical professionals.
As of March 2021, a total of 3,812 people were identified as covid-19 suspects, 1,756 of whom were tested covid-19 positive later in Gazipur. All of them received telemedicine and other services.
As part of the campaign, 78,000 masks were distributed which covered 60% of the households in the two upazilas.
World Health Day: WHO calls for fairer, healthier world post-COVID-19
COVID-19 has unfairly impacted some people more harshly than others, exacerbating existing inequities in health and welfare within and between countries, said the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday.
For World Health Day, 7 April 2021, the World Health Organization is therefore issuing five calls for urgent action to improve health for all people.
Within countries, illness and death from COVID-19 have been higher among groups who face discrimination, poverty, social exclusion, and adverse daily living and working conditions - including humanitarian crises.
The pandemic is estimated to have driven between 119 and 124 million more people into extreme poverty last year.
And there is convincing evidence that it has widened gender gaps in employment, with women exiting the labour force in greater numbers than men over the past 12 months.
Also read: 36 countries yet to get Covid jabs: WHO
These inequities in people’s living conditions, health services, and access to power, money and resources are long-standing.
The result: under-5 mortality rates among children from the poorest households are double that of children from the richest households.
Life expectancy for people in low-income countries is 16 years lower than for people in high-income countries. For example, 9 out of 10 deaths globally from cervical cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries.
But as countries continue to fight the pandemic, a unique opportunity emerges to build back better for a fairer, healthier world by implementing existing commitments, resolutions, and agreements while also making new and bold commitments.
Also read: Share Covid jabs out of self-interest: WHO
"The COVID-19 pandemic has thrived amid the inequalities in our societies and the gaps in our health systems," says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “It is vital for all governments to invest in strengthening their health services and to remove the barriers that prevent so many people from using them, so more people have the chance to live healthy lives.”
WHO is therefore issuing five calls for action:
Accelerate equitable access to COVID-19 technologies between and within countries
Safe and effective vaccines have been developed and approved at record speed. The challenge now is to ensure that they are available to everyone who needs them. Key here will be additional support to COVAX, the vaccine pillar in the ACT-Accelerator, which hopes to have reached 100 countries and economies in the coming days.
But vaccines alone will not overcome COVID-19. Commodities such as medical oxygen and personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as reliable diagnostic tests and medicines are also vital. So are strong mechanisms to fairly distribute all these products within national borders.
The ACT-Accelerator aims to establish testing and treatments for hundreds of millions of people in low and middle-income countries who would otherwise miss out. But it still requires USD22.1 billion to deliver these vital tools where they are so desperately needed.
Invest in primary health care
At least half of the world’s population still lacks access to essential health services; more than 800 million people spend at least 10% of their household income on health care, and out of pocket expenses drive almost 100 million people into poverty each year.
As countries move forward post-COVID-19, it will be vital to avoid cuts in public spending on health and other social sectors. Such cuts are likely to increase hardship among already disadvantaged groups, weaken health system performance, increase health risks, add to fiscal pressure in the future and undermine development gains.
Instead, governments should meet WHO’s recommended target of spending an additional 1% of GDP on primary health care (PHC). Evidence reveals that PHC-oriented health systems have consistently produced better health outcomes, enhanced equity, and improved efficiency. Scaling up PHC interventions across low- and middle-income countries could save 60 million lives and increase average life expectancy by 3.7 years by 2030.
Governments must also reduce the global shortfall of 18 million health workers needed to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030. This includes creating at least 10 million additional full-time jobs globally and strengthening gender equality efforts. Women deliver most of the world’s health and social care, representing up to 70% of all health and care workers, but they are denied equal opportunities to lead it. Key solutions include equal pay to reduce the gender pay gap and recognizing unpaid health care work by women.
Prioritize health and social protection
In many countries, the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, through loss of jobs, increases in poverty, disruptions to education, and threats to nutrition, have exceeded the public health impact of the virus.
Some countries have already put in place expanded social protection schemes to mitigate these negative impacts of wider social hardship and started a dialogue on how to continue providing support to the communities and people in the future.
But many face challenges in finding the resources for concrete action. It will be vital to ensure that these precious investments have the biggest impact on those in greatest need, and that disadvantaged communities are engaged in planning and implementing programmes.
Build safe, healthy and inclusive neighbourhoods
City leaders have often been powerful champions for improving health - for example, by improving transport systems and water and sanitation facilities.
But too often, the lack of basic social services for some communities traps them in a spiral of sickness and insecurity. Access to healthy housing, in safe neighbourhoods, with adequate educational and recreational amenities, is key to achieving health for all.
Meanwhile, 80 per cent of the world's population living in extreme poverty are in rural areas. Today, 8 out of 10 people who lack basic drinking water services live in rural areas, as do 7 out of 10 people who lack basic sanitation services.
It will be important to intensify efforts to reach rural communities with health and other basic social services (including water and sanitation). These communities also urgently need increased economic investment in sustainable livelihoods and better access to digital technologies.
Strengthen data and health information systems
Increasing the availability of timely, high-quality data that is disaggregated by sex, wealth, education, ethnicity, race, gender and place of residence is key to working out where inequities exist, and addressing them. Health inequality monitoring should be an integral part of all national health information systems.
A recent WHO global assessment shows that only 51% of countries have included data disaggregation in their published national health statistics reports.
The health status of these diverse groups is often masked when national averages are used. Moreover, it is often those who are made vulnerable, poor or discriminated against, who are the most likely to be missing from the data entirely.
"Now is the time to invest in health as a motor of development," said Dr Tedros. “We do not need to choose between improving public health, building sustainable societies, ensuring food security and adequate nutrition, tacking climate change and having thriving local economies. All these vital outcomes go hand in hand.”
9th Liberation DocFest postponed as covid cases surge
The 9th edition of Liberation DocFest has been postponed because of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases around the country.
Organisers of the event, originally scheduled for April 6-10, recently announced the postponement on Facebook.
“Due to Bangladesh Government’s decision to go to nationwide lockdown because of escalation of covid pandemic again, Liberation War Museum, the organiser of Liberation DocFest decided to temporarily postpone the festival,” the post reads.
Also read: ‘Highways of Life’ takes top prize as 8th Liberation DocFest concludes
DocFest is an annual initiative dedicated to the documentary cinema to highlight the struggle for liberation and human rights of people in various parts of the world and its contemporary significance.
A new schedule for the event will be announced soon, the organisers said.
However, the ‘Exposition of Young Film Talent 2021’, a storytelling lab for documentary filmmakers will take place on Wednesday and conclude on April 10, as per its schedule.
Also read: Liberation DocFest: Enthralling tales from home and beyond
“We had to postpone this year’s Liberation DocFest at the very last moment due to the recent surge of COVID-19 and the subsequent nationwide lockdown. This prompted the trustee members to postpone the festival but the storytelling lab will continue online as per its schedule,” Md Shariful Islam Shaon, Festival Programmer at Liberation Docfest Bangladesh, told UNB.
The workshop and pitching session, in association with Dhaka DocLab, will cater to 10 projects from Bangladeshi documentary filmmakers which were selected for this year’s workshop.
Marking the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Independence, the festival is scheduled to introduce a series of new screening sessions and special ceremonies in a hybrid format, due to the ongoing pandemic.
Also read: 8th Liberation Docfest Bangladesh-2020 begins connecting global minds virtually
A total of 1,900 films from 112 countries have been submitted to the organisers this year. Among them, 110 documentaries will be screened at the festival.
This year is also marking the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of Liberation War Museum, which will be observed with the screening of 12 documentaries from the last five decades along with a special exhibition of 25 one-minute short films when the festival will take place in the future.
BNP leader Anee infected with Covid-19
BNP publicity affairs secretary Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Anee was infected with coronavirus.
Talking to UNB, Anee said he underwent Covid-19 test on Monday and his report came out positive on Tuesday.
The BNP leader said he has been suffering from fever, cough and sneezing for the last few days. “I’ve been receiving treatment as per doctor’s advice staying in isolation at my home.”
Also read: Covid-19: BNP’s Rizvi shifted to ICU
Anee urged all to pray for his speedy recovery.
Some other BNP senior leaders, including standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hessian and his wife, standing committee member Selima Rahman, vice chairman AZM Zahid Hossain and his wife, chairperson’s adviser Dr AKM Azizul Haq and senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi have been undergoing treatment at different city hospitals with coronavirus infections.
Covid vaccine: UNICEF emphasises speed, simplicity to remove barriers
UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore has said they need speed and simplicity to remove barriers to the acquisition, manufacture and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear to us all that no one is safe until everyone is safe. But equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines is within our grasp," She said in a statement on Tuesday.
She said they have proven that the world can rally to do the unthinkable, and we need to do it again. "The sooner we do, the sooner our lives, and the lives of our children, will go back to normal.”
In a little over a year, the world’s scientists, businesses, governments, philanthropists and multilateral institutions rallied and did the unthinkable, Fore said.
They created vaccines to fight a virus that had brought the world to a standstill. And they tested, transported and began to administer those vaccines safely and in record time. "This is nothing short of astounding," she said.
“But the fight is not yet over,” Fore said. “Variants are emerging all over the world, and with each, the risk of a massive global setback."
Also read: Vaccine passports are latest flash point in COVID politics
At the current rate, there is simply not enough vaccine supply to meet demand. And the supply available is concentrated in the hands of too few.
Some countries have contracted enough doses to vaccinate their populations several times, while other countries have yet to receive even their first dose.
"This threatens us all. The virus and its mutations will win," Fore said.
In order to get ahead of the virus, and to shift gears, she said, they must build on a strategy of vaccinating frontline workers but drive towards a strategy that truly enables equitable access for all.
The governments, businesses and partners were urged to take three urgent actions:
First, simplify Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) through voluntary and proactive licensing by IPR holders.
Also read: UNICEF launches COVID-19 vaccine market dashboard to ensure fair access
But this alone won’t increase production. Unlike drug manufacture, vaccine production involves a complex manufacturing process with multiple components and steps.
IPR holders would need to provide technology partnerships to accompany IP licenses, proactively share know-how and sub-contract to manufacturers without undue geographic or volume restrictions.
This challenge requires not forced IP waivers but proactive partnership and cooperation. Recent manufacturing partnerships such as Pfizer-BioNtech; AZ-SII, J&J- Merck and J&J-Aspen are encouraging examples.
UNICEF urged others to follow suit, to increase the scale and geographic diversity of manufacturing capacity.
“While markets alone can’t guarantee innovation benefits all, voluntary licensing, pooled funds and multilateral mechanisms such as COVAX are an effective and realistic way for product developers and manufacturers to collaborate, innovate, and encourage equitable access," Fore said.
“Second, we need to end vaccine nationalism. Governments should remove direct and indirect export- and import-control measures that block, restrict or slow down exports of COVID-19 vaccines, ingredients and supplies. Viruses respect no borders. Defeating COVID-19 in each of our home countries also means defeating it around the world by ensuring a steady flow of vaccines and supplies to all."
Also read: UNICEF working with over 350 partners to deliver COVID-19 vaccines
Finally, Fore said, governments that have contracted to receive more ‘future doses’ than required to vaccinate their entire adult populations this year, should immediately loan, release or donate most or all excess contracted doses for 2021 to COVAX, so they can be allocated equitably among other countries.
“In addition, countries with a sufficient, current supply of manufactured doses should consider donating at least 5% of their available manufactured doses right away, and commit to making further contributions on a continued, rolling basis throughout the year, scaling up their contributions in line with rising supply. Confirming these dose-sharing commitments now will enhance predictability, accelerate equitable access, and help stabilise the global vaccine market."
DNCC Market Hospital to get 200 new ICU beds: Health Minister
Two hundred Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds and 1000 new isolation beds will be added in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Market Hospital within a short time, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Tuesday.
The minister came up with the information after sighting the new beds installation progress at the hospital in Mohakhali area in the afternoon.
The installation of new ICU beds was announced as the country witnessed record-breaking daily Covid-19 fatalities and infections with 66 deaths and 7,213 cases during the last 24 hours till Tuesday.
Also read: Covid-19 surge lays bare another crisis: Scant ICU beds and specialists
More than 7,000 new Coronavirus cases were recorded for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The new beds will be inaugurated within the next two weeks, the minister hoped.
“No matter how many new beds are installed, Coronavirus won’t be controlled if people neglect the health guidelines,” he said.
Also read: 'Govt spending Tk 4.5 lakh on each Covid patient in ICU'
In many places people are creating agitation seeking withdrawal of lockdown, Maleque said, adding that in the present moment lockdown was mandatory so the government decided for it.
“The government will withdraw it in right time, if we don’t maintain the government directive now, Covid-19 infection and fatalities both might go beyond any control in the future,” the health minister added.
Covid-19: Bangladesh breaks records with 7,213 daily cases, 66 deaths
Bangladesh witnessed record-breaking daily Covid-19 fatalities and infections with 66 deaths and 7,213 cases during the last 24 hours till Tuesday morning amid the worsening coronavirus situation.
More than 7,000 new Coronavirus cases were recorded for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
With the new 66 deaths, the coronavirus fatalities rose to 9,384 while the mortality rate dropped slightly to 1.44 percent as it was 1.45 percent on Monday.
During the 24-hour period, 2,969 patients recovered, taking the number of recoveries to 558,383, the DGHS handout said.
Although the government enforced a 7-day lockdown from Monday restricting people’s movement, shutting shops, markets and suspending operations of public transport (bus, train and domestic flights), people took it lightly and moving around feely defying the restriction, posing risks of more transmission.
Also read: Shots in little arms: COVID-19 vaccine testing turns to kids
Coronavirus claimed 568 lives in Bangladesh in January this year, while 281 in February and 638 in March.
Earlier, the country’s health authorities recorded over 5,000 Covid cases on March 29, 30 and 31 and April 3 while over 6,000 cases on April 1 and 2.
The infection rate came down to 21.02 percent from 23.40 percent on Monday.
Bangladesh has so far recorded 651,652 coronavirus cases, the DGHS handout added.
The number of daily cases and infection rate had dropped below 5 percent earlier this year but then the infection rate continued to rise amid people’s reluctance about maintaining health safety rules.
Hospitals are struggling to provide treatment to the increasing number of coronavirus patients with their limited resources. The government is increasing the number of beds and Covid-designated hospitals to deal with the situation.
Safe Lifestyle in COVID-19 Lockdown: Do's, Don'ts, and Precautions
It seems coronavirus is not going away anytime soon from our life. And the second wave already hit Bangladesh. This time the new variations of COVID-19 are much more deadly than the last year. Hence Bangladeshi government was forced to call for another lockdown like the previous year. The government has issued new directives to implement during the lockdown period for the next seven days.
Staying at home without being accessible to the open air is not satisfying for some people, while it is enjoyable for some. But the ultimate truth is, 'lockdown is a necessity not a luxury.' Here we have explained a proper guideline to cope with the lockdown and stay home safely.
Read Coronavirus Home Quarantine: How to keep the Elderly People Engaged
Reliable Sources for COVID-19 Updates in Bangladesh
With the vast availability of smartphones along with the internet, access information circulates so quickly. Therefore, it becomes hard to tell which news is true. With the wrong or fake news, it is easy to get scared. But, getting the real news is highly essential.
Currently, government-issued circulations are the only trustworthy source to ger the real information about coronavirus in Bangladesh. You may visit corona.gov.bd to access the latest and reliable information. Besides, information from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) is also counted as reliable. However, if you want to get updates on other parts of the world, you can check the World Health Organization.
Read How to Handle Your Coronavirus Anxiety during Home Quarantine?
COVID-19 Lockdown Do's and Dont's
Do’s:
Stay home! This is the ultimate goal of lockdown. There is no point in giving lockdown if you don't stay at home. However, you can go outside for emergency purposes or grocery shopping, or even if you need to go to the office. Since there is no proper guideline about attending the office and most of the offices are open, you may go to the office by maintaining proper COVID-19 safety protocol.
Wash your hands frequently. This is the easiest process to slow down the spread and restrict passing to others or having passed it to you. However, you need to follow the proper handwashing guideline, and you found it here.
Also Read: Coronavirus Home Quarantine: How to keep the Elderly people engaged
Practice proper coughing and sneezing etiquette. Corona can easily spread through the affected person's coughing and sneezing. Whether you are affected or not, cough and sneeze on your elbow. In this way, your hands remain clean and eventually prevent from spreading germs. Practice proper social distancing. In other words, don't go out unnecessarily. Avoid going to any large gatherings. Nevertheless, if you go out in an emergency, maintain at least six feet distance from people.
Use the mask properly. We have a tendency not to use a mask. Even when we use a mask; we don't wear it properly. So, wear a mask properly as it can prevent the virus to a great extent. Use designated transport to commute to the office. According to the government-issued directives, government, non-government, courts, and private offices can provide transportation facilities to their employees. Those vehicles will maintain all the safety protocols, so you can use the official transportation to stay safe.
Read Essential Hygiene Practices to Prevent Coronavirus Contamination
Order food online. Since the restaurants are instructed to stay open for delivery or takeaway foods, you can order from home or even order and pick up from the restaurant quickly.
Don'ts:
Going out between 6 pm to 6 am is strictly prohibited unless there are any emergencies. However, it is suggested that you try to stay home regardless of the time. Even if you need to go out, you should not spend much time outside.
Avoid visiting the shopping malls. Although the shopping malls will remain close, shops can keep their wholesale part open. But it would be a good idea to avoid any kind of shops.
Avoid buying excessive suppliers. We have seen in last year that people tend to buy excessive supplies of foods, toiletries, etc., like there is no tomorrow. Avoid buying more supplies than you need and keep the items for others.
Read Pandemic Grocery List: Is Your Home Ready for Coronavirus Home Quarantine?
Don't panic. We may get panicked if our nearest or dearest ones get infected. In that case, you will need to stay calm and quiet. Besides, remember that COVID-19's severity depends on several factors. So, try to stay calm and take the necessary steps.
Read Where to Buy Grocery Online in Dhaka during Quarantine?
Tips to Stay Stress-Free During COVID-19 Lockdown
Getting stress during the lockdown is inevitable, even though you did everything to stay calm. You will need to keep yourself busy on something that you have an interest in. Besides, you can take some steps to make your lockdown stress-free.
Read How to Keep Your Children Occupied during Coronavirus
For health and nutrition
Adequate nutrition can certainly fight COVID-19. You may not get proper nutrition as you cannot go outside to shop according to your needs. Sometimes you may not get the proper supply in your nearest grocery store. Therefore, you can shop online and get your desired items.
However, it is mandatory to hygiene your online deliveries. For instance, you can wash your food before eating. Besides, you can clean and use disinfection spray to clean other stuff.
Read Masala Tea Health Benefits: How Can It Improve Your Immunity
For mental well-being
Taking care of your mental health is highly essential. For mental well-being, you can do yoga or meditation by maintaining a specific routine. Besides, being physically active is necessary, too, as it can reduce depression and can also reduce feelings of stress. Healthy eating is another way to boost mental well-being.
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For physical well-being
During the lockdown, we tend to sit idly, which invites some fats into our bodies. Therefore, physical activities are necessary to involve all of your muscles. Try to be active at home; you can do this by simply walking on the rooftop. You can do some home exercise too. If you are not sure which exercise you should do, there are plenty of apps for work out, and you can follow these to stay fit during the lockdown.
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For self-development
Last year many people did online courses during the lockdown to develop themselves. You can do this too. You may search for the books that you are interested in and enrich yourself.
Besides, taking courses on different platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, Repto, etc. are the great way to develop skills.
Read Where to Find Online Courses during Coronavirus Home Quarantine
Final words
The Bangladesh government has imposed a seven-day lockdown so far. However, there is a great chance that it will be extended. So, the guidelines and the tips we have mentioned in the article will definitely help you to stay motivated during a long span of lockdown.
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