It seems that most of us have forgotten about wearing our face masks. It is as though we have already earned immunity against coronavirus. We hardly ever find people in public places wearing facemasks be it in the market, restaurants or elsewhere. Worse, the masks they have on their faces are often not properly placed. Bangladesh reports more than 300 cases of Covid-19 every day. With viral infection cases resulting in cough, cold and fever, the present infection rate suggests we cannot afford to lower the guard.
Monsoon in Bangladesh is supposed to be at its peak in July. However, the country has witnessed less than half the average rainfall during the month this year. As there is less rain, dust particles have again started to pollute our air. Dust from footpaths, construction sites and ongoing development projects as well as black smoke from brick kilns, vehicles and other sources have been polluting air in such a way that it is now causing breathing problem.
In this situation, we should not stop using the face mask. Although it does cause some inconvenience and discomfort, it is still our best bet against infection and dust pollution. We must remember that it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Abu Bokkar Siddique,
Student of Department of Marketing,
University of Dhaka, Dhaka,
abubokkar241@gmail.com