Covid-19 transmission rate must be brought below 5%: DGHS

The rate of decreasing Covid-19 infections and deaths is not yet a matter of relief and efforts must be made to bring the transmission rate down, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) spokesperson Professor Robed Amin said in a virtual health bulletin today.

"We have to bring the transmission rate below five percent which is more than 13 percent currently," he said.

"Even after the infection rate goes below five percent, it cannot be said that a country is free from Covid-19. If we can keep the condition where there will be no Covid-19 cases and deaths for two to three weeks, then we will be able to say Covid-19 is under control," he added.

Asked whether the infection could increase again, he replied, "It is very difficult to say as Covid-19 is an unpredictable virus".

"Bangladesh has already seen all variants -- Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta. One natural feature is that such variants do not last long and weaken over time.

"However, the Delta variants that we saw in different countries have a storm-like effect for two to three months, after which the variant of the virus gradually decreases.  Maybe Bangladesh is also going through that experience," said the professor.

"If we adhere to the rules of hygiene, the chances of infection are less likely to increase regardless of the variant," he added.

"It will take us a long time to vaccinate everyone because of the number of vaccines we are getting.  A lot more people could be vaccinated if our country was producing or if we could arrange more vaccines," Robed further said.