We're deeply concerned about the manner in which the Covid-19 positivity rate in Bangladesh has started climbing again. The daily rate reportedly went up to 10.29 percent in the 24 hours preceding March 21 morning, in a nearly one-point jump from the previous day's rate. Meanwhile, the infection and death figures have been hovering over 2,000 and 20, respectively, over the last several days. Also, more people are turning up to get tested at the centres this month compared to February. The rise in our Covid-19 figures are apparently consistent with the global situation, with the Deutsche Welle reporting on March 19 that some 97 countries had reported more cases in the past two weeks compared to the previous 14 days. If the current trend holds, we may soon have a situation where the government may have to consider imposing a lockdown or other forms of restrictions on movements again to contain the virus.

Clearly, with only 48,40,969 individuals vaccinated as of March 21 in a country of over 167 million, we're far from a situation where the mass vaccination campaign would start to affect growth charts. Countries where there is a robust vaccination campaign in place are expecting to be able to soon bring down the numbers (the EU even claimed to have a target of achieving herd immunity by mid-July). In our case, however, not only have we failed to inoculate the targeted population in the first month of our nationwide vaccination drive by a wide margin, we have also failed to come up with a plan to boost recipient numbers by ironing out problems in widening the coverage. The government has to keep in mind that to contain Covid-19, the speed and coverage of vaccine rollout are key.

One possible reason linked to the recent rise in infections is the UK variant of the virus. Researchers tied with the Monash University have also stressed the need to investigate if any of the 34 unique mutations of the virus found in Bangladesh are responsible for the rise, and to find out whether our Covid-19 vaccines are effective against them. The virus apparently mutated a total of 4,604 times in Bangladesh from April to the first week of December last year, and the absence of our own research and even vaccines means we're ill-prepared to respond properly to the threat of the local mutations, if it indeed comes to that. 

These problems and threats call for a more robust, targeted and coordinated Covid-19 response from the authorities. Since a successful anti-virus campaign requires giving equal attention to tracing, testing, treating and vaccinating, the government has to ensure it does so without exception. Besides rigorously enforcing the health safety guidelines, it must trace all potential Covid-19 carriers, especially those traveling from outside, reinvigorate the existing testing and treatment regimes, and of course bolster the vaccination drive in a manner that matches the gravity of the crisis. There is no room for dillydallying.