Dhaka, Feb 14 – The government has again extended the closure of educational institutions until February 28 to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The Education Ministry issued a notification in this regard on Sunday. It said the order would be effective for all educational institutions except Qawmi madrasas.
Earlier, on January 29, the government extended the closure of educational institutions, except the Qawmi madrasas, until February 14 as there had been no significant improvement in the coronavirus situation in the country.
But the situation has been improving steadily in recent weeks. A countrywide vaccination drive was launched on Feb 7.
The government shut all the schools and educational institutions on March 17 last year after the country confirmed its first Covid-19 cases on March 8.
The closure was extended several times, most recently until January 30 this year, to protect the students from the virus infections.
Online classes will continue during this extended closure, said the notification issued Sunday.
Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh
The daily coronavirus infection rate fell to 2.26 percent on Saturday.
Covid-19 fatalities in Bangladesh soared to 8,266 with a mortality rate of 1.53 percent, the Directorate General of Health Services said.
Meanwhile, the national tally stands at 540,266.
So far, 486,767 patients (90.1 percent) have recovered.
Mass Vaccination
The government launched a countrywide Covid-19 vaccination drive on February 7 to tackle the spread of the virus.
Doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine – acquired from India’s Serum Institute – have been sent to hospitals across the country to make the inoculation drive a success.
Doctors and nurses have been trained to carry out the vaccination drive. So far, top government officials, cabinet members, judges, policemen, along with general people, have received the vaccine.
For getting a shot, one will have to register at www.surokkha.gov.bd. The second dose has to be taken within 8 to 12 weeks of the first one. – UNB
