The Malaysian Insight

EXPERTS have urged the authorities to boost public health measures, and encourage booster shots in anticipation of another Covid-19 wave.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has warned that the nation could face the fifth wave, possibly within the next two or three months, judging by the daily infection rates.

Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, Malaysia has logged 4.57 million infections while 35,765 people have died of the virus.

Former deputy health minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said MOH should consider reintroducing some of the standard operating procedures (SOP) that have been scrapped.

“We can still have some degree of public health measures, such as wearing of masks (outdoors) and reintroducing physical distancing to reduce the rate of transmission and flatten the curve,” Lee told The Malaysian Insight.

“Eventually everyone will be exposed (to Covid-19), but it will spread over a longer period of time.”

Lee said lockdowns are not necessary.

At the start of the pandemic, the government issued a movement control order which saw the closure of nearly all economic activity. It subsequently ordered two more lockdowns from which the economy is still recovering.

“I don’t think we can afford another lockdown. As mortality and morbidity rates are low, it’s probably not an option.

“It’s not viable to restrict activities, the economy is very bad.”

Use of the MySejahtera contact tracing app should also be re-introduced, Lee said.

“We should not have scrapped MySejahtera at all. We should have kept it until the World Health Organisation said the pandemic was over.

“Now (if) we want to start all over again, it will be hard,” Lee said.

Beginning May 1, Malaysians were no longer required to use check-in function on MySejahtera.

People are now allowed to go everywhere regardless of their vaccination status.

Lee added the government must ensure public health facilities have enough beds, intensive care capacity and ventilators even though he does not think a fifth wave is likely as Malaysia has a high vaccination rate.

Malaysia is currently in transition to the Covid-19 endemic phase.

Most of the health guidelines are no longer mandated, but people must still wear a mask indoors.

More booster shots

Epidemiologist and biostatistician associate professor Dr Malina Osman of Universiti Putra Malaysia said the authorities must encourage the public to take their booster shots, including a second one.

“I believe the ministry will continue to closely monitor patterns of Covid-19 infection, therefore immediate action will be executed if any threatening pattern is found.”

Public health expert Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar agreed the booster shots are important.

“(We must) encourage people to get the booster,” he said.

“(The MOH should) alert people when there are more cases in hospital or increase in death.

“We should continue surveillance and remind people of the importance of masks and testing. This is enough.”

The CovidNow website showed 97.9% of the adult population are fully vaccinated while 99.1% have received at least once dose of the vaccination; 68.6% have had a booster shot.

Among minors aged 12 to 17, 93.4% are fully dosed while 96.2% have received a jab.

Only 38.4% of children aged 5-11 are fully vaccinated while 49.3% had had their first shot.

A second Covid-19 booster shot is recommended for people aged 60 and above with severe comorbidities as well as for children aged 12 and above who are immunocompromised.

Adults who wish to go abroad and need to meet requirements can also get a fourth shot.

Malina said parents should also refrain from taking their young children to crowded places.

Malaysia faced its first coronavirus wave from January 25 to February 16, 2020. The second one occurred between February 27, 2020 and June 30, 2020 and the third on September 8, 2020 till February 24, 2021. Four weeks later, on June 22, Malaysia saw its fourth wave, during which it logged a record 33,406 new daily cases on March 3 the following year.

In the past five weeks beginning May 29, Covid-19 cases have been steadily climbing.

Malaysia reported 11,052 cases and 26 deaths, in the May 29-June 4 week.

New cases grew to 11,094 and deaths to 25 the next week. June 12-18 saw cases rise 27.9% to 14,195 while deaths dipped to 21.

Over the following seven days, new cases incread 10.9% to 15,739 but fatalities continued to drop, to 13.

From June 26 to July 2, cases rose 9.5% to 16,650 while deaths totalled 26. – July 5, 2022.