The government on Thursday revised guidelines for international arrivals, removing the category of 'at risk' countries - introduced when the Omicron Covid variant emerged - and also recommending self-monitoring of 14 days for symptoms against the current seven days of home quarantine. The new guidelines will come into effect from Monday, February 14, the Union Health Ministry said. The ministry stressed the "need to monitor the continuously changing" COVID-19 virus but also acknowledged that "economic activities need to be taken up in an unhindered manner". According to the new guidelines, all foreign arrivals must fill a self-declaration form online (available at the Air Suvidha web portal), including a travel history of the past 14 days. They must also upload a negative RT-PCR test that was conducted within 72 hours of the travel date. Alternatively, they can also upload a certificate confirming they have received both vaccine doses. This option, however, is only available for passengers arriving from 72 countries whose vaccination programmes the Indian government recognises as part of a reciprocal programme. These countries include Canada, Hong Kong, the United States, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Qatar, Australia, New Zealand, and some European nations. "Airlines (will) allow boarding (of) only those passengers who have filled in all the information in the self-declaration form... and uploaded the negative RT-PCR test report or COVID-19 vaccination certificate..." the Health Ministry has said. Only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board, and Covid-appropriate behaviour, including the use of face masks and practicing of social distancing, must be followed during the flight. On arrival, in addition to thermal screening, passengers selected at random (up to two per cent of total passengers per flight) will be asked to undergo RT-PCR tests. Passengers will be selected by the airline and must "preferably" be from different countries. Passengers found to be symptomatic will be immediately quarantined and tested, with contact tracing carried out if they are found to be Covid-positive. All other passengers must self-monitor for 14 days for any Covid symptoms, the Health Ministry said. These rules replace those announced in December, when strict restrictions were put in place to prevent the more contagious Omicron variant from spreading. Despite those rules, however, the Omicron strain found its way into the country and triggered a third wave of cases, with daily cases peaking at nearly 3.5 lakh in the middle of last month. Daily cases have slowed since, prompting many states and cities, including Mumbai and Delhi, to ease restrictions and try to recover lost economic growth. This morning 67,084 Covid cases were reported in 24 hours - a marginal decrease from the more than 71,000 reported yesterday. India's active caseload is now at 7.9 lakh. Source: NDTV

Thailand has decided to allow vaccinated Bangladeshi nationals from November 01, 2021 without quarantine under the 'Sandbox Scheme' in designated tourism areas.    This was revealed today (Monday) while newly appointed Thai envoy to Bangladesh Makawadee SUMITMOR called on the state minister for foreign affairs Md. Shahriar Alam at the secretariat, a press release said.   On spending a week in those selected zones, travelers will be allowed to move to any area of the country as the Embassy of the Kingdom of Thailand in Dhaka will issue a press release in this regard.   During the meeting, Shahriar sought more political support from Thailand on the repatriation of Rohingyas into their homeland Myanmar.   Stressing on Thai cooperation for enhancing capacity building in the areas of agro-processing and health sector the state minister also hoped for more Thai investments in Bangladesh as investors can avail the opportunities offered by a market of more than 160 million people.   Shahriar further sought Thai support to Bangladesh's candidature for ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner.    To expand bilateral trade, both the State Minister and the Ambassador hoped that two countries would make efforts for concluding a Free Trade Agreement  (FTA) in the near future, the release added.  Source: BSS AH

Turkey has declared that fully vaccinated travelers from India will no longer be subjected to a mandatory 14-day quarantine rule, with effect from September 4, the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi informed on Saturday. The announcement will ease the travel restrictions for fully vaccinated passengers of 12 years of age and older, travelling from India or those who stayed in India in the last 14 days. The vaccines that have been approved by WHO or the Turkish Government are covered under this exemption. In addition to WHO-approved vaccines, the vaccines approved by the Turkish Government are Pfizer Biontech, Sputnik V and Sinovac. For the same, a traveller must have taken the second dose (if Johnson&Johnson one dose is sufficient) at least 14 days prior to the date of travel. Indian travellers who are vaccinated with Covishield will also be allowed to travel to Turkey. Once, Covaxin gets a nod from WHO, travellers vaccinated with the same will also be able to visit Turkey. The fully vaccinated travellers are also required to submit their negative PCR test report taken 72 hours before departure in order to be exempt from the quarantine. Non-vaccinated travellers are required to undergo mandatory quarantine for 10 days in a hotel or a location mentioned in the declaration. As of September 4, the Turkish government has successfully vaccinated 79 per cent of its population above 18 of age with the first dose and 62 per cent population above 18 of age with both doses. The tourist inflow numbers in Turkey between January-July 2021, despite the pandemic, were recorded at 11.9 million. In July 2021, 4.3 million international visitors visited Turkey. Source: Khaleej Times BM

Compulsory quarantine period for the passengers coming from abroad has been reduced from 14 days to five days. The decision was taken at the interministerial meeting on Thursday on the pretext of pressure of home coming passengers. With this decision the compulsory period for the home bound passengers has been reduced by nine days. According to the interministerial meeting, those who have got two doses of corona vaccine and also have the corona negative certificates- need not to maintain institutional quarantine. They will maintain 14-day quarantine at their homes and local administration will ensure that. It was also decided in the meeting that those who have got one dose of vaccine and have the negative certificate should maintain three days compulsory quarantine. They have to undergo corona test after arriving in the country. If the report comes negative then they have to maintain rest 11 days of quarantine after going to their homes. AH

As the coronavirus situation has deteriorated in United Kingdom, so all London returnees will have to maintain 14-day institutional quarantine. The direction came from the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the regular cabinet meeting on Monday. Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam delivered the information at a press conference after the meeting. The Cabinet Secretary said, those who will return from London have to maintain the quarantine strictly. The Prime Minister gave us the responsibility, returnees will not be discouraged, but they have to maintain strong quarantine. Whoever comes from London, even they have corona negative certificates, have to maintain 14-day quarantine on mandatory basis. They will be taken to institutional quarantine. He said, there are facilities for institutional quarantine at Ashkona Hajj Camp and Diabari. As well as some hotels will be made ready. Steps will be taken for maintaining quarantine locally in Sylhet. He also informed that there is a meeting in this regard tonight. There it will be informed by giving logical time from which day it would be activated. AH  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Sunday) asked the authorities concerned to ensure proper screening and compulsory quarantine of the returnees from abroad in the wake of the second wave of COVID-19 in Europe and many countries of the world. “The time has come once again to make sure proper screening and (compulsory) quarantine of the returnees from abroad. Measures as taken before would have to be put in place again at each of the airports and other ports across the country to confirm whether anyone is entering the country with coronavirus,” she said. The Prime Minister said this while addressing a function as the chief guest marking the “Bangabandhu National Youth Day-2020” organized by the Youth and Sports Ministry from her official Ganabhaban residence through a video conference. She added: “We have to ensure proper protection of the people of our country and I hope that you (concerned government officials) will do that.” In this connection, Sheikh Hasina said many countries of the Europe have witnessed massive surge of the Covid-19 and was forced to introduce lockdown system again. The premier however reminded all that they had earlier announced 31 points directives when the coronavirus was first approaching towards Bangladesh last March following its outbreak in Europe. She continued that they had also announced 21 stimulus packages of Taka 1,12,633 crore mainly to keep running the country’s economy facing the worldwide stalemate due to the outbreak of the Covid-19. “The world has got stuck due to the pandemic. We are taking all the measures bearing in mind that our economy isn’t stuck because of the lethal virus. For that reason, the country’s economy is still functioning. Many developed countries even can’t do this,” she said. The premier once again urged the countrymen to follow the health guidelines properly to be protected from the virus, saying, “Wear mask in any kind of gathering to be protected from the coronavirus.” On behalf of the Prime Minister, State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Zahid Ahsan Russel, MP, handed over Bangabandhu National Youth Award that included cash, certificate and crest to twenty one successful self-employed youths and five successful youth organisers in recognition to their exemplary contribution to creating employment for others at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital. Youth and Sports Secretary Mohammad Akhter Hossain gave the welcome address while two awardees Saifur Rahman and Samia Rahman expressed their feelings of winning the award on the occasion. Commemorative stamps and envelopes were also unveiled on the occasion of Bangabandhu National Youth Day-2020 which is being observed across the country with the theme of “Mujib Borsho er Ahoban, Jubo Karmasangsthan”. The youth day is observed on first November every year while the day has been named Bangabandhu National Youth Day on the occasion of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The Prime Minister urged the youths to stay away from drug, militancy and terrorism, reiterating her government’s tougher stance against the social menaces. “There is a scope to make some quick buck by getting yourselves involved in drug, militancy and terrorism. But remember, there is no security of life there. And keep it in mind that our stance against the misdeeds will be tougher,” she cautioned the youths. Describing the youths as the country’s guardians of the future, the PM called upon the young generation to be patriotic and dutiful and good human beings, saying that today’s youths can take the country to a desired level of development by utilizing their talents. “We have a target to build our youths infusing the ideology of Father of the Nation,” she said. The PM recalled the contribution of the youths to every achievement of the nation and their recent initiatives of cutting the paddy of the farmers during the coronavirus pandemic. Referring to various measures taken by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s government for the development of the youths, she said after the assassination of Bangabandhu along with most of the family members, the military dictator Ziaur Rahman gave the students arms and money in a bid to use them to cling to power. The Prime Minister said after taking office, her government has so far created employment for two crore youths and sent the maximum number of workers abroad, adding that after assuming office they have taken measures in a planned way to generate employment. In this connection, she said her government has been building 100 economic zones, high tech parks, software technology parks and IT training centres which will generate huge employments upon their completion. She said imparting education on IT to youths is the most important thing as it has huge potential in generating employment, adding that freelancers are emerging in the country after taking IT education from the government IT centres. The Prime Minister said the freelancers can do the work of any foreign firm residing at their village homes and earn foreign currency. But the problem with the freelancers is that they have no social recognition and for this reason they have to face difficulties in getting married and enrolling their children in schools, she said The PM said that they have consulted with Sajeeb Wazed Joy (PM’s information and communication technology affairs adviser), ICT Ministry and concerned people to find a way out to give recognition to the freelancers. Besides, the premier said, her government has taken various mega projects like construction of the Padma Bridge and metro rail along with setting up community clinics and digital centres across the country, which have already created huge employments. The PM said that they have established Karmosangsthan Bank, Probashi Kallyan Bank, Palli Sanchoy Bank, and SME Foundation mainly to create scopes for the youths to take loan to initiate a business enterprise instead of running after the jobs at home and abroad. “Don’t run after employments rather be entrepreneurs and arrange jobs for others, ” she said and suggested the youths to go abroad after going through a scrutiny through the proper channels like Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry. The premier said they have attached priority to technical education as youths having technical education have the chance to get jobs at home and abroad. All the measures that the government has been taking is to give the future generation a better and dignified life so that they could build the country as a developed and prosperous one free from hunger and poverty envisioned by the Father of the Nation. Source: BSS AH

Britain plans to introduce a 14-day mandatory quarantine for most international arrivals, reports said Saturday, despite growing pressure on the government to relax virus lockdown measures. It comes as the UK, which has the world’s second highest coronavirus death toll after the US, cautiously charts a way forward after imposing strict stay-at-home orders in late March. Apart from those entering the country from neighboring Ireland, all people coming into Britain by air, sea and rail will be required to self-isolate for a fortnight, The Times reported. The newspaper said the new rule would be enforced by spot-checks on the address given by travelers, with possible penalties including fines of up to o1,000 ($1,200, 1,100 euros) or deportation. It said Prime Minister Boris Johnson would announce the measures on Sunday. The BBC reported that the two-week quarantine restriction was set to be brought in at the end of May, citing government sources and aviation industry body Airlines UK. Ahead of Johnson’s televised address later this weekend, the government has warned not to expect any major changes to the nationwide coronavirus lockdown. The devolved government in Wales has unveiled plans to re-open garden centers and libraries, but said the wider lockdown would remain for another three weeks. More than 31,000 people who have tested positive for coronavirus have now died in Britain. Source: AFP/BSS AH

Director of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Dr. Meerjady Sabrina Flora said, if anybody does not obey the rules of home quarantine then legal action will be taken against the person. In this case highest fine will 50 thousand taka. She said this while speaking at a press briefing over COVID-19 situation at IEDCR headquarters in the capital on Monday. Dr. Flora said, local committee or upazila committee can take action if anybody violates home quarantine rules. They also can charge fine. She said, in the last 24 hours we have collected samples of 10 people. There are 10 people in isolation and four are under institutional quarantine. Total eight people have been detected with coronavirus in the country so far. The newly infected three patients are from the same family. Of them one boy aged under 10, one girl and one woman. AH 

The Cabinet on Monday decided that all those arriving from abroad must stay in 14-day quarantine or else face legal action. “Those whoever coming from any foreign country must stay in a 14-day compulsory quarantine. There’s no exemption, no matter whatever they are,” Cabinet Secretary Khandkar Anwarul Islam said while briefing reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting at the secretariat. Citing an example, the Cabinet Secretary said the divisional commissioner of Rangpur was asked to stay in a14-day quarantine as he returned home from abroad on Monday. “If anyone violates it (the directive regarding quarantine) anywhere, action will be taken according to the law,” he said. In this regard, Anwarul Islam mentioned that the deputy commissioner of Manikganj fined a Saudi-returnee Tk 10,000 on Sunday as he was roaming outside defying the quarantine directive. He said if anyone is infected with the Covid-19 because of any Covid-19 patient, the responsible person will have to face legal action. The Cabinet decided to keep all educational institutions shut down till March 31 asking the guardians not to allow their children roam outside their residence unnecessarily. He, however, warned of taking action if any student is found roaming outside their residence without any logical reason. The educational institutions were shut down so that students can stay indoors for safety, Anwarul Islam added. He said the government has asked local administrations – Deputy Commissioners, Civil Surgeons, Superintendents of Police (SP), Upazila Nirbahi Officers--local body representatives and imams of mosques to carry out the awareness campaign in their respective areas in this regard as well as ensure that no-one having fever, cough and cold-related diseases roam in public places. He said the government officials and employees have already been asked not to come to the office with fever, cough and cold-related diseases. The Cabinet Secretary said the authorities concerned were asked to make announcements in every mosque across the country advising the people having fever, cough or influenza not to come to mosques.   Bangladesh on Monday announced the detection of three new coronavirus patients and confirmed that the virus has started transmitting locally. So far, the country has recorded eight cases. Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora revealed the information at a regular press briefing. Source: UNB AH

People coming to Bangladesh from infected countries will be kept in compulsory quarantine, Health Minister Zahid Maleque announced Saturday. “Anyone violating the directive will be jailed and fined,” he said. Maleque said 142 Bangladeshis who returned from Italy, which recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases in Europe, will be kept in compulsory quarantine at Ashkona Hajj Camp. “All returnees, who recently entered Bangladesh from Italy and other countries must stay in a 14-day home-quarantine,” said a handout from Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). All of the returnees are also told to inform about their locations to the local administration and health authorities, it said, adding that anyone violating the direction would be sent to jail and fined. Meanwhile, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Director Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora said there was currently no coronavirus patient in Bangladesh. She confirmed that the Italy returnees did not have symptoms of coronavirus. Death toll from coronavirus or COVID-19 reached 5,436 globally as of Saturday. Besides, 145,810 new cases were reported from around the world, according to worldometer. Of them, 67,843 are currently infected while 72,531 patients have recovered. Source: UNB AH