Covid advices only on paper, nonchalant folks roam around Dhaka incautious

The ongoing 11-point restrictions meant for slowing down transmission of Delta and Omicron variants’ surge across the country are visibly stumbling into the capital city of Dhaka.

Nonchalant people in large numbers are coming out of their homes to buy commodities or having refreshments at tea-stalls and restaurants, violating the health instructions grossly.

The swarm of folks are going to workplaces by rickshaws, buses and by other modes of transport without wearing masks or maintaining health guidelines that include maintaining social distances.

People have to wear masks everywhere, including shops and inside the shopping malls and maintain social distance as the tough Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the government took effect on Thursday.

In an effort to keep the virus transmission under control, the government on Monday imposed harsh restrictions in the wake of the Omicron outbreak and the overall Covid situation deterioration in the country.

In the instruction, the government said that it would operate mobile courts to compel people to maintain the instructions. It also said that the public transport will have to ply at half seat capacity from Saturday.

“Instructions exist only on paper. Who cares about the health rules?” Swapan, a passenger of Shwadhin Paribahan, told this correspondent.

The bus being fully packed with passengers, its conductor welcomed standing travelers from at least three bus stops on its way towards Farmgate and Kawranbazar.

When the driver of the bus was asked about the health instructions, he said, “I came here to earn money not to consider the health rules.”

The gross violation of health rules was seen at a kitchen market on Indira Road, many people were seen unmasked while many of them were seen improperly masked.

Talking to this reporter, a shopper, Bilkis Begum, said the government issues such types of instructions frequently but people don’t care.

The scenarios were identical at different restaurants and tea stalls where unmasked patrons were being entertained.

One Abdus Samad who was having his meal at a restaurant on Indira Road, said he has yet not received any vaccine of coronavirus. “How will I get a vaccine certificate? Will I not take my food?”

The manager of the bistro said they most of the time allow customers for the sake of the sale and they have no mandate to ask for customers’ Covid certificates.

According to the experts, enforcement of the immature instructions will not be possible unless strict vigilance is ensured.

“The government issued the instructions without making people prepared to maintain the rules as a number of people are still out of vaccine coverage. How will they get the certificate? As they don’t have certificates, will they refrain from taking food at the restaurants?” Nazrul Islam, a member of the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19, told the Business Insider Bangladesh on Thursday.

The government should ensure vaccines for all primarily to contain the spread of the virus, said Nazrul Islam, also former vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).

Responding to a query, Nazrul Islam, also a noted virologist in the country, said the government will deploy the members of law enforcement agencies on the street to encourage people to comply with the instructions.