14-day quarantine mandatory for travellers from omicron-afflicted countries: Health Minister

Health Minister Zahid Maleque says that travellers from countries where the omicron variant of COVID-19 has been detected must undergo a 14-day institutional quarantine upon arrival in Bangladesh.

The army will oversee this quarantine, the health minister said on Tuesday after an inter-ministry meeting, reports bdnews24.com. 

“First, travellers will be tested,” he said. “If their results come back positive, they will have to stay in isolation.”

“The traveller will have to bear the cost of the quarantine. If they are unable to do so, we will take that matter into consideration.”

It was also at the meeting recommended that travel to Bangladesh from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, and Swaziland be banned, the minister noted.

Bangladesh is also discussing COVID vaccine booster doses for people above the age of 60, he said.

“India and some neighbouring countries are giving booster doses,” Maleque said. “We are also working on the issue and will make a decision soon.”

It was also decided that a ‘no vaccine, no service’ measure would be taken, he said.

“Our old slogan was ‘no mask, no service’. Now we are changing it to ‘no vaccine, no service’. The decision was taken at the meeting and we will send letters to the different agencies to implement it.”