COVID-19
Perform duties properly to enforce Corona directives: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday directed all the authorities concerned to perform their duties properly to ensure the government’s directives are implemented appropriately to battle the fresh wave of the Covid-19 in the country.
“We’ve already issued some directives to check coronavirus. You all will have to pay special attention so that people follow the directives properly,” she said while inaugurating the newly constructed multi-storied head office of the National Security Intelligence (NSI).
The Prime Minister declared the 20-storied head office building open, joining the function virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.
Also read: Avoid public gatherings, wear masks to fight Covid surge, PM urges all
She said her government is much conscious about keeping the economic activities running, but saving lives of people is the first priority.
Sheikh Hasina said various countries across the world witnessed economic slowdown due to the corona situation, but Bangladesh has been able to keep the economic pace running and its economic growth rate is higher than other South Asian countries. “We’ll have to maintain it (the trend of growth),” she said.
The Prime Minister asked all to raise public awareness so that people follow the health protection rules and guidelines.
“All will have to keep themselves protected and protect others. You all who are in-charge throughout the country will have to perform your duties properly,” she said.
Also read:PM issues directives to tackle Covid-19
Sheikh Hasina asked the NSI to work properly to check militancy, terrorism, drug and corruption in the country as the government announced ‘zero tolerance policy’ against these social menaces.
“You always will have to remain vigilant about these (social menaces) and take proper measures. You’ll have to do whatever necessary for protecting people’ lives and properties, public interest and ensuring peace and security to public life,” she said.
“We want that you, every member of NSI, will perform your duties with honesty and sincerity being imbued with the spirit of patriotism,” she said.
The PM put emphasis on maintaining the continuation of the country’s development adding that now Bangladesh is a developing country thanks to her government’s tireless works since 2009.
“If we want to keep its continuation, we’ll have to maintain peace and order in the country, fight Corona and simultaneously keep up the economic pace,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said though the Corona pandemic may hinder the country’s progress to some extent, Bangladesh will be able to recover from it. “Bangladesh is marching forward and will do so,” she said.
Also read:PM to inaugurate Covid-19 vaccination on Jan 27
Extending her thanks to the NSI members for playing a role in fighting the first wave of Covid-19 pandemic, she asked the NSI members to play more significant role this time.
PM’s Security Affairs Adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique was present at the function moderated by PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus.
NSI Director General Major General TM Jobaer delivered the welcome speech.
On January 17, 2015, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the 20-storied building for the NSI head office.
Vaccine passports are latest flash point in COVID politics
Vaccine passports being developed to verify COVID-19 immunization status and allow inoculated people to more freely travel, shop and dine have become the latest flash point in America’s perpetual political wars, with Republicans portraying them as a heavy-handed intrusion into personal freedom and private health choices.
They currently exist in only one state — a limited government partnership in New York with a private company — but that hasn’t stopped GOP lawmakers in a handful of states from rushing out legislative proposals to ban their use.
The argument over whether passports are a sensible response to the pandemic or governmental overreach echoes the bitter disputes over the past year about masks, shutdown orders and even the vaccines themselves.
Vaccine passports are typically an app with a code that verifies whether someone has been vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19. They are in use in Israel and under development in parts of Europe, seen as a way to safely help rebuild the pandemic- devastated travel industry.
They are intended to allow businesses to more safely open up as the vaccine drive gains momentum, and they mirror measures already in place for schools and overseas travel that require proof of immunization against various diseases.
Also read: The Latest: Pfizer: Vaccine effective up to 6 months later
But lawmakers around the country are already taking a stand against the idea. GOP senators in Pennsylvania are drawing up legislation that would prohibit vaccine passports, also known as health certificates or travel passes, from being used to bar people from routine activities.
“We have constitutional rights and health privacy laws for a reason,” said Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, a Republican. “They should not cease to exist in a time of crisis. These passports may start with COVID-19, but where will they end?”
Benninghoff said this week his concern was “using taxpayer money to generate a system that will now be, possibly, in the hands of mega-tech organizations who’ve already had problems with getting hacked and security issues.”
A Democratic colleague, Rep. Chris Rabb of Philadelphia, sees value in vaccine passports if they are implemented carefully.
“There’s a role for using technology and other means to confirm people’s statuses,” Rabb said. “But we do have concerns around privacy, surveillance and inequitable access.”
Republican legislators in other states have also been drafting proposals to ban or limit them. A bill introduced in the Arkansas Legislature on Wednesday would prevent government officials from requiring vaccine passports for any reason, and would ban their use as a condition of “entry, travel, education, employment or services.”
Also read: Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine protects younger teens
The sponsor, Republican state Sen. Trent Garner, called vaccine passports “just another example of the Biden administration using COVID-19 to put regulations or restrictions on everyday Americans.”
President Joe Biden’s administration has largely taken a hands-off approach on vaccine passports.
At a news conference this week, Andy Slavitt, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said he considered them a project for the private sector, not the government.
He said the government is considering federal guidelines to steer the process surrounding vaccine passports. Among its concerns: Not everyone who would need a passport has a smartphone; passports should be free and in multiple languages; and private health information must be protected.
“There will be organizations that want to use these. There will be organizations that don’t want to use these,” said Dr. Brian Anderson of Mitre, which operates federally funded research centers and is part of a coalition working to develop standards for vaccine certifications to make their use easier across vendors.
Also read: Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine works well in big ‘real world’ test
Anderson noted the Vaccination Credential Initiative is not making recommendations on how — or even if — organizations choose to use the certifications.
In Montana, GOP lawmakers this week voted along party lines to advance a pair of bills that would ban discrimination based on vaccine status or possession of an immunity passport, and to prohibit using vaccine status or passports to obtain certain benefits and services.
And a freshman Republican state lawmaker in Ohio spoke out about the concept, saying more restrictions or mandates are not the answer to every COVID-19 problem.
“Ohioans are encouraged to take the COVID-19 vaccine for the health and well-being of themselves and others,” Rep. Al Cutrona said. “However, a vaccine should not be mandated or required by our government for our people to integrate back to a sense of normalcy.”
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday issued an executive order that said no governmental entity can issue a vaccine passport, and businesses in that state can’t require them. He said he expected the Legislature to pass a similar law.
His order said requiring “so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports for taking part in everyday life — such as attending a sporting event, patronizing a restaurant, or going to a movie theater — would create two classes of citizens.”
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, a newly elected member who has embraced and promoted a range of far-right political positions, told her supporters on Facebook earlier this week that “something called a vaccine passport” was a form of “corporate communism” and part of a Democratic effort to control people’s lives.
And a GOP lawmaker in Louisiana has teed up a bill to keep the state from including any vaccination information on the Louisiana driver’s license or to make issuance of a driver’s license subject to vaccine status.
In New York, a government-sponsored vaccine passport called the Excelsior Pass is being introduced. A smartphone app, it shows whether someone has been vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19.
Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo touted the idea as letting an event venue usher, for example, use their own smartphone to scan a concertgoer’s code.
New York officials have not released specific details about how the app will work, access someone’s vaccination or testing status or protect a user’s name, date of birth or the location where their code was scanned. The app’s privacy policy says data will be “maintained in a secure manner” and won’t be used for sales or marketing purposes or shared with a third party. But some privacy experts say the public needs more specifics to ensure its information is protected.
Albert Fox Cahn, founder and executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project at the Urban Justice Center, a New York–based civil rights and privacy group, warned the Excelsior Pass creates a new layer of surveillance without sufficient details about how it collects data or protects privacy.
“We basically only have screenshots of the user interface and not much more,” Cahn said of Excelsior Pass.
BGMEA elects new leadership Sunday
The biennial election of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is going to be held on Sunday at the Radisson Blu hotel in Dhaka.
Two panels are contesting the powerful trade body's election this year. Earlier, Shadhinata Parishad merged with the Sammilita Parishad led by Managing Director of Giant Group Faruque Hassan. On the other hand, Chairman of Hannan Group ABM Shamsuddin is leading the Forum panel as its candidate for president. Current BGMEA president Dr Rubana Huq is contesting as a panel member of Forum.
Also read: BGMEA election: Sammilita Parishad announces manifesto
Former Vice President of BGMEA Mohammad Nasir said a total of 14 polling booths have been set up to cast votes from 9am to 7pm - an extra 3 hours over the usual to allow COVID-19 health protocols to be maintained.
“A total of 1853 voters are in Dhaka and 461 in Chattogram. New board will take over on April 20. Five Vice Presidents in Dhaka and two in Chattogram will be elected in the election,” he also said.
Also read: BGMEA Election: Forum candidates pledge to work selflessly for industry
The candidates for each panel are numbered serially on each ballot: 1-35 are the Forum candidates and from 36-70 for Sammilita Parishid in the election.
Homebound people flock at launch and bus terminals dreading ‘lockdown’
Homebound people have started swarming into cities' launch and bus terminals as the announcement of countrywide lockdown came on Saturday.
On Saturday morning, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the government is set to announce a seven-day lockdown from Monday to stem the spread of coronavirus.
Since the declaration, people are dreading the suspension of all public transportation across the country and crowding at the bus and launch terminals.
Railways Minister MD Nurul Islam Sujan said passenger train services will remain suspended across the country during the countrywide lockdown period.
Joynal Abedin, joint director for Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) told UNB no announcement of suspending launch services has been made.
Also read: Govt to enforce 7-day lockdown from Monday: Quader
Yet dreading the upcoming suspension number of homebound people at the terminals has increased from this afternoon, said BIWTA’s joint director.
Sales manager of Hanif Paribahan bus service’s Kallyanpur counter, Nahid Hasan said bus counters were already packed with passengers as the bus owners were carrying 50 percent less passengers according to the Government’s order from Wednesday.
As the declaration of lockdown came today the crowd of passengers increased more, he said.
Unique bus service’s Gabtali counter man Sulaiman said, passengers are frightened about being stuck hence they are flocking at the ticket counters to leave the city within a day or two.
Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh
Amid an alarming surge in Covid-19 cases, Bangladesh recorded 5,683 fresh cases and 58 deaths in the last 24 hours until Saturday.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh sees 5,638 cases, 58 more deaths
The infection rate slightly fell to 23.15 percent from 23.28 percent on Friday when the country recorded 6,830 cases, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic.
Bangladesh has so far recorded 630,277 coronavirus cases, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
During the 24-hour period until Saturday morning, 2,364 patients recovered, taking the number of recoveries to 549,775.
Meanwhile, the fatalities rose to 9,213 with the new deaths.
No domestic flight operations during lockdown: CAAB
The flight operations on domestic routes will remain suspended immediately after enforcement of lockdown, said Air-Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman, chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) on Saturday.
However, flights on international routes will operate as usual until further notice, he told UNB.
He said a notice regarding suspension of domestic flights will be issued after the official announcement of lockdown.
Also read: Govt to enforce 7-day lockdown from Monday: Quader
Earlier today Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that the government is set to impose a seven-day lockdown from Monday to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Meanwhile State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain also stated that the announcement of a countrywide seven-day lockdown would come within two or three days.
However, industries or essential services will remain out of the purview of lockdown, said both the ministers.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh sees 5,638 cases, 58 more deaths
Covid-19 in Bangladesh
The number of Covid-19 cases continues to rise as 5,683 people tested positive in the last 24 hours until Saturday morning.
Besides, the death toll from the novel coronavirus climbed to 9,213 in Bangladesh after 58 more deaths during the period.
Argentine president's test shows Covid-19; awaits confirmation
Argentine President Alberto Fernández says he had an initial positive test for COVID-19, despite having been vaccinated in January.
Fernández sent a tweet late Friday saying took a quick antigen test for the virus after feeling a headache and experiencing a fever of 37.3 Celsius (99.1 Fahrenheit). He said he otherwise has light symptoms, is isolating and is "physically well."
He said he is awaiting a confirmation of the result using a more rigorous PCR test.
Also read: Global Covid cases top 130 million
The president received a dose of the Sputnik V vaccine on Jan. 21 and a second dose a few days later.
The Russian Gamaleya Institute that produced the vaccine tweeted that it wished the president a quick recovery, and said the vaccine has a 91.6% rate of effectiveness against infection and 100% against critical cases.
Also read: Incumbent president concedes defeat in Argentine presidential election
"If the infection is confirmed and occurred, the vaccination assures a rapid recovery without severe symptoms," it said.
Argentina recently tightened border restrictions due to an upsurge in cases. The nation of some 45 million people has recorded nearly 2.4 million infections, with 56,000 deaths. It has administed more than 4 million doses of vaccine against the disease.
DSE, CSE to follow banking sector's lead in operating during lockdown
The capital markets will follow the banking sector's lead in operation during the pandemic of Covid-19.
This was informed by the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) against the backdrop of different rumors since news broke of the lockdown to be imposed by the government from Monday next.
A notice posted on the official website of the BSEC said: "Capital market will continue operation at the interest of investors in any situation during the pandemic of Covid-19 if the banking activities continue." It said all transactions in the capital market will continue in the interest of investors.
Also read: Govt to enforce 7-day lockdown from Monday: Quader
It urged the investors to pay no heed to any sort of rumors.
According to BSEC sources, if the bank is open in lockdown, the capital market will also be open. This instruction has been given to two stock exchanges (Dhaka and Chittagong).
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh sees 5,638 cases, 58 more deaths
They said, the commission has instructed DSE to keep the capital market open if banks are open. The capital market will operate utilising smaller shifts and work-from-home facilities.
Earlier, from March 26 to May 31 last year, transactions in the capital market were closed due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
UK regulator says AstraZeneca jab safe after 7 clot deaths
Britain’s medicines regulator is urging people to continue taking the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, despite revealing that seven people in the U.K. have died from rare blood clots after getting the jab.
The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, said it wasn't clear if the shots are causing the clots, and that its “rigorous review into the U.K. reports of rare and specific types of blood clots is ongoing.”
Also Read: Dutch temporarily halt AstraZeneca shots for under-60s
Though the agency said late Friday that seven people had died as a result of developing blood clots, it didn’t disclose any information about their ages or health conditions.
In total, MHRA said had identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events out of 18.1 million AstraZeneca doses administered up to and including March 24. The risk associated with this type of blood clot is “very small,” it added.
Also Read:What we know about AstraZeneca blood clot reports
“The benefits of COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca in preventing COVID-19 infection and its complications continue to outweigh any risks and the public should continue to get their vaccine when invited to do so,” said Dr. June Raine, the agency’s chief executive.
Concerns over the AstraZeneca vaccine has already prompted some countries including Canada, France, Germany and the Netherlands to restrict its use to older people. The U.K., which has rolled out coronavirus vaccines faster than other European nations, is particularly reliant on the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was developed by scientists at the University of Oxford.
MHRA's view about the relative benefits of the vaccine is shared by the European Medicines Agency. It has said a causal link between unusual blood clots in people who have had the vaccine is “not proven, but is possible," and that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks of side effects. The World Health Organization has also urged countries to continue using the jab.
Also Read: Africa CDC says India vaccine woes could be 'catastrophic'
Adam Finn, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Bristol, said the “extreme rarity” of the blood-clotting events in the context of the millions of jabs administered in the U.K. makes the decision facing people very straightforward.
“Receiving the vaccine is by far the safest choice in terms of minimizing individual risk of serious illness or death,” he said.
A more detailed look at the MHRA’s findings show that of the 30 cases, 22 related to cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, which stops blood draining from the brain properly, and eight were connected with other thrombosis events with low platelets.
It said there were no reports of any blood-clotting events around the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which has also been widely rolled out in the U.K.
Covid-19: Bangladesh sees 5,638 cases, 58 more deaths
Amid an alarming surge in Covid-19 cases, Bangladesh recorded 5,683 fresh cases and 58 deaths in the last 24 hours until Saturday morning.
The health authorities recorded over 5000 Covid cases on March 29, 30 and 31 while over 6000 cases on April 1 and 2.
The infection rate slightly fell to 23.15 percent from 23.28 percent on Friday when the country recorded 6,830 cases, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic.
On Thursday, the number of new cases was 6,469 and on Wednesday, the number was 5,358.
The number of daily cases and infection rate dropped below 5 percent earlier this year but then infections continue to rise again amid people’s reluctance to maintain health safety rules.
Hospitals are struggling to provide treatment to the increasing coronavirus patients with their limited resources. The government is increasing the number of beds and Covid-designated hospitals to deal with the situation.
Bangladesh has so far recorded 630,277 coronavirus cases, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
During the 24-hour period until Saturday morning, 2,364 patients recovered, taking the number of recoveries to 549,775.
Bangladesh reported its first cases on March 8 last year and confirmed the first death from the virus 10 days later.
The country has so far tested 4,752,661 samples, including 24,100 in the last 24 hours, the DGHS said.
Meanwhile, the fatalities rose to 9,213 with the new deaths. The mortality rate fell to 1.46 on Saturday from Friday’s 1.47 percent.
Coronavirus claimed 568 lives in January this year, 281 in February and 638 in March.
Among the latest victims, 39 died in Dhaka division, 12 in Chattogram, One each in Rangpur and Mymensingh, three in Khulna and two in Barishal division.
So far, 5,267 coronavirus patients died in Dhaka division, 1,664 in Chattogram, 508 in Rajshahi, 592 in Khulna, 276 in Barishal, 327 in Sylhet, 377 in Rangpur and 202 in Mymensingh divisions.
So far 6,925 men (75.17) and 2,288 women (24.83) died of Covid-19.
Also read: Govt to enforce 7-day lockdown from Monday: Quader
Govt set to impose ‘lockdown’
On Saturday, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the government is set to announce a seven-day lockdown from Monday to stem the spread of coronavirus.
Meanwhile, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain said the decision for a countrywide lockdown for seven days would come within “two to three days”.
In a video message, he said the institutions providing emergency services would be open during the lockdown.
“Industries and factories will remain open too,” he said. “Workers will have to follow health guidelines and work in shifts (during that period).”
Also read: Restriction on gatherings, quarantine rule among PMO’s 18-point directive to contain Covid surge
Govt strengthens protective steps
The daily surge prompted the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to issue an 18-point directive on March 29 to prevent the virus’ transmission.
On the same day, the Health Ministry proposed strict measures like partial lockdowns for some places with higher Covid-19 transmission rates.
Vaccination drive
The government launched a countrywide vaccination campaign on February 7 with doses received from the Serum Institute of India.
Bangladesh inked an agreement with Serum in December last year for 30 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Serum is supposed to supply the doses between January and June this year – 5 million each month.
Also read: Global Covid cases top 130 million
Global situation
Coronavirus cases were first reported in China in December 2019.
The world hit another grim Covid-19 milestone on Saturday, as the total caseload surpassed 130 million and 2.8 million deaths so far, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
A number of vaccines have been developed to fight the virus. Most notable of them are those made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Oxford-AstraZeneca.
All professional MBBS final exams postponed
All professional final examinations of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) scheduled to start on Sunday (April 4, 2021) under the Dhaka University affiliated medical colleges have been postponed.
The decision was taken as Bangladesh saw a sudden spike in Covid-19 infection.
The next dates of the exams will be announced later, a press release issued by the Dhaka University said.
But the first and second professional MBBS May-2020 and November-2020 practical and oral examination will be held on time maintaining hygienic rules, the press release added.
Also read: MBBS admission test results published