Experts recommend 2-week lockdown in cities to curb Covid surge

The National Technical Advisory Committee on Coronavirus has recommended the government to go for a complete lockdown in all metropolitan and municipalities area across the country for two-week to stem the spread of coronavirus.

The recommendation came in the 30th meeting of the committee held last night, Prof Mohammad Shahidullah, member secretary of the committee, said it in a press statement this afternoon.

The committee in the meeting expressed grave concern over the sharp rise of death and infection rate of coronavirus in the country and said the government imposed 18-point directives are not being maintained.

The government’s directives are needed to be followed by the people strictly as the rate of death and infection is increasing, the expert team said in the meeting.

It will be difficult to halt the surge unless a complete lockdown for at least two-week is enforced in the metropolitan and municipality area, the committee said it during the meeting.

As the country has been experiencing record-breaking Covid cases for the past few days, the government went on a weeklong countrywide lockdown from last on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Farhad Hossain, state minister for Public Administration, said all government and private offices and public transport across the country will remain suspended during the one-week lockdown to be enforced from April 14.

the minister told the media that all emergency service providers like hospital, clinic, medicine shop, ambulance and medicine carrying vehicles will remain out of purview of any restriction.

Besides, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said that the government is mulling to go for announcing a countrywide all-out lockdown from April 14, to contain the surge of coronavirus.