The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has shortened the isolation period for Covid-infected patients to 10 days from 14 days.

“If the body temperature remains at a low level and symptoms go away, one can return to his or her respective work after 10 days,” said Dr Md Nazmul Islam, the DGHS spokesperson and Line Director (Disease Control), on Sunday at a virtual health briefing.

He said the previous condition of having RT-PCR test results to return to offices and workstations in this regard would remain suspended for now.

Also read: Booster doses to be available for citizens above 40: Minister

Regarding the Covid surge, Dr Nazmul said, “Until December last year, the Delta variant of Covid was dominant in the country but the number of total patients and percentage of infection were low. We have seen a continuous rise in infections within a few days from the end of December to the beginning of January. So, there is no scope to take the new variant lightly.”

The DGHS spokesperson said there is no room to be complacent as the number of deaths, which was three or four till December, has now increased several times to 20 or 25 deaths a day.

However, the vaccination campaign has been accelerated in Bangladesh along with the increase in the infection rate.

Those who have already received a message for booster dose but could not get the jab for getting infected can receive it after the six weeks of recovery, Dr Nazmul said.

Also read: Covid in Bangladesh: Daily deaths sharply rise to 34

Earlier in the day, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said people above 40 years will be eligible to take Covid booster shots as the government has lowered the minimum age limit for it.

“We’ve nine crores of Covid vaccine doses in hand. The government has lowered the age limit for receiving Covid booster shots to 40 from 50. Some people have taken booster shots. So, the government has decided to lower the age limit to 40,” he said.