4 Recommendations of NTAC to Prevent Omicron

A new variant of the coronavirus Omicron has been identified in South Africa. The government's National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 has made four recommendations to prevent the new type of infection.

These recommendations were made after detailed discussions at the 46th meeting of the National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Sunday (November 28).

The meeting was told that a new variant of coronavirus, Omicron, is spreading from South Africa to different parts of the world. The World Health Organization has declared Omicron as a variant of concern. To curb its spread, many countries in Asia, Europe and the Americas, including South Africa, have imposed restrictions on passenger arrivals (including direct and indirect flights) from a number of countries in the region (Zimbabwe, Namibia, Batswana, Swaziland).

Four recommendations are:

• In this context, it is recommended to stop the arrival of passengers from the countries where the infection has spread.
• If any person has a recent (past 14 days) history of traveling to these countries, they will have to stay in Bangladesh for 14 days in Institutional Quarantine. If the test of Covid-19 is positive, isolation should be done.
• It was recommended that screening tests be carried out at each port of entry, that social security measures be strictly adhered to (including school and college), that the medical system be strengthened and that public gatherings be restricted to various (political, social, religious) gatherings.
• To encourage people to take the Covid-19 test, it is recommended to take the test for free.

Earlier, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque flew back to Switzerland on a mid-flight on a flight to a government program in Switzerland in a state of concern over the new Coronavirus strain.

"We are aware of the new South African variant and the virus is very aggressive," he said. That is why our communication with Africa is now being suspended. Instructions have been given to intensify screening at all airports, land ports or at all entrances in the country. At the same time, district and city administrations are being instructed to adhere to strict hygiene rules and to wear face masks across the country.