Number of patients infected with COVID-19 in Bangladesh has exceeded day by day. But it is not possible to know the real picture of COVID-19 outbreak in the country. The number of infections has only been derived from the number of tests so far. We don`t know how many asymptomatic COVID-19 patients there are, or how many people are suffering from colds and other COVID-19 symptoms but not being tested.

Experts have long speculated that there are far more patients across the country than those identified through tests. This is a risky situation. This is because healthy people can also become infected through contact with asymptomatic infected people. It is very possible that most of the COVID-19 patients in our country have been infected in this way. Now the risk is rising again.

As can be seen from the tests and patient data, the infection has started to increase again. Many fear the second wave of the pandemic has already begun. The last 50,000 patients were identified in 28 days. Earlier, 50,000 patients were identified in 36 days. As a percentage of the number of patients identified in proportion to the number of tests, the rate of daily infections is also increasing. The daily detection rate dropped to 10 per cent by the end of October, and began to rise again in early November. The infection rate has been around 15 per cent for a week.

Experts fear that if the temperature decreases with the onset of winter, the infection may increase further. Looking at the infection trend over the last two weeks, there are fears that the infection is likely to increase rapidly.

That means we are going to face a big risk for the second time. But already the general public`s fears and caution about COVID-19  has decreased. There has been negligence or laxity in complying with hygiene rules. Even after suffering from the obvious symptoms of COVID-19, many are reluctant to be tested, and are reluctant to be hospitalized for treatment. In this situation, the infection may increase again across the country and a complicated situation may arise. But the decision to lockdown may not be possible in the interests of the economy and people`s livelihood.

What is the solution? How to effectively deal with the possible second wave of the pandemic? We need to follow the original recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) in this regard. The organization is now focusing on the use of masks. They say if 95 per cent of the people in an area wear masks, there will be no need to impose a lockdown. Surveys in several countries, including South Korea and the United States, have shown that COVID-19 infection rates are lower in areas where people are more likely to wear masks.

Most of the people in our country are negligent in using masks and following other hygiene rules. To address this negligence, the government has started a campaign with the help of mobile courts. However, besides this initiative, social initiative is also needed from the government. What is most needed is the personal awareness and vigilance of every human being. It is now the responsibility of every individual to keep himself, his family and everyone in the society away from this danger. There is no alternative to adhering to hygiene rules, including the use of masks. Everybody should keep this in mind.