The Malaysian Insight

THE decision to ease restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals comes with a risk of increasing the Covid-19 caseload, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

“The decision to give these perks will also bring about the risk of a higher number of daily Covid-19 cases.

“The government is taking the benefits that full vaccination and these perks could improve the mental and physical health of the people and the country’s economy,” he said in a special address to announce the relaxation of restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals.

“Full vaccination will increase immunity against the coronavirus, protect against severe infection and reduce the infectivity rate by 50%,” he said.

Muhyiddin said in the last six weeks there has been a decline in the admission of senior citizens aged 60 and above into the intensive care unit of the Sg Buloh Hospital, as those belonging to the age group were vaccinated in phase two of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.

Similarly, only 4,635 or 1.88% of the 246,242 healthcare workers who have been vaccinated contracted Covid-19.

Majority or 99.78 % of those infected were in Categories 1 and 2, which is asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, 0.15% were in Category 3 requiring oxygen support while 0.06% deteriorated to Category 4. However, no Category 5 cases was reported.

A Category 4 Covid-19 infection refers to a patient suffering from symptoms of pneumonia and is given oxygen support while a Category 5 patient share the same condition and multi-organ failures.

The government is aiming to vaccinate 50% of the population by the end of August.

Muhyiddin reminded Malaysians not to let their guard down as variants such as Delta, which are more contagious and aggressive than the initial strains of the coronavirus are doing the rounds.

He said with as more people become protected against the virus, the healthcare system’s burden will be alleviated and more economic and social sectors will be allowed to operate.

In that case, the country too can make a safe and orderly exit out of the pandemic.

Certain restrictions will be eased for fully vaccinated individuals from Tuesday.

Among them are home quarantine for citizens, permanent residents and those under the Malaysia My Second Home Programme who are entering Malaysia from overseas; married couples who are in a long-distance relationship will be able to cross district and state lines to meet their spouse; parents who have been fully inoculated will be allowed to travel beyond state and district lines to meet their children aged below 18 and surau, mosques and non-Muslim houses of worship will be allowed to accept fully vaccinated individuals.

Dine-in, outdoor activities and tourism within the state will be allowed for fully vaccinated individuals in phases two, three and four of the national recovery plan. – August 8, 2021.