Both lives and economy must be protected

The number of coronavirus cases is increasing in the country with the increase in the number of tests. The number of patients identified in a day is on a steady rise. According to the regular online briefing of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Monday afternoon, the number of patients identified in the last 24 hours has reached 688, surpassing all previous records.

The number was 665 on the day before. In other words, more than 20 new coronavirus patients are being detected every 24 hours. As of Monday, the total number of patients has exceeded 10,000.

The media in April reported predictions of an increase in COVID-19 cases in May. Experts continue to say Bangladesh has not yet reached the peak of coronavirus infection. The entire May is a very risky phase for us, they predict.

There is a serious dilemma in terms of risk alleviation. People's lives must be saved. At the same time the national economy must be protected from the crisis ahead. To achieve both goals requires shrewd assessment.

A balance must be struck between formulation and implementation of the plan so that the loss of the economy is kept to a minimum and human lives are saved. Protection or revival of the economy should not be the only focus.

Garment factories have been and are being opened in the name of protecting the economy. This has increased the risk of virus transmission and will increase the risk further.

The risk is not limited to factories, but extends to workers, their families and locales. The most important responsibility of the authorities is to ensure that everyone in every garment factory adheres to the hygiene guidelines prescribed by the World Health Organisation.

Workers must wear standard masks and gloves while maintaining physical distance. The managing authority of each factory must ensure that. Strict monitoring will be required to ensure their accountability. Neither side is entitled to be complacent.

As long as the trend of infection continues, we must continue to maintain social and physical distance. But some quarters urged the government to ease the lockdown. In fact, we have not yet reached the phase to relax the lockdown.

Lockdown can only be relaxed and phased out when the infection begins to decline after the peak phase. Isolation and social distance must be maintained to ensure that the infection does not spread over widely.

Various media reports show some people from Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur and many other cluster areas have returned to their homes in different districts of the country and the infection has been detected in those areas later on.

It is necessary to completely stop the movement of people from such areas or from any other area. Lockdowns need to be intensified in the most infected districts for the very reason. The lockdown can be relaxed a bit in those districts where the transmission rate is comparatively low.

It is necessary to select the areas and try to strike make a balance between preventing the spread of infection and conducting economic activities simultaneously.