EXPERT: RELAX MOVEMENT CONTROLS
‘It may sound counter-intuitive, but this strategy may result in better compliance’
THE restrictions imposed on the public have been unable to stop the surge in daily cases and experts believe it is time the government updates certain Covid19 standard operating procedures (SOP).
Despite strict SOP in place since the state of emergency was declared in January, the daily number of Covid-19 cases continues to soar.
Epidemiologist Dr Sanjay Rampal stressed the importance of striking a balance between protecting people’s lives and livelihoods, saying the current SOP has caused fatigue among Malaysians due to the high psychological, social and economic costs.
While the emergence of multiple Covid-19 variants is a legitimate concern, Dr Sanjay said it is, however, driven by the global incidence of the disease due to Malaysia’s relatively small population size.
“The current restrictions have become ineffective. It may seem counter-intuitive, but relaxing movement restrictions and business restrictions may result in a more compliant society.
“The community will then be empowered to follow the SOP on wearing face masks in close and congested spaces, observing physical distancing as well as maintaining hand hygiene.
“If the SOP cannot be relaxed due to the high healthcare utilisation, we should implement a total lockdown for four to eight weeks (maximum) rather than the current (prolonged) restrictions,” he said.
After months of living without having much control over their own lives, Dr Sanjay said the government must realise how much the restrictions imposed have impacted people’s mental health.
He said the new SOP must take people’s mental health into account, adding that it is important for families to “maintain their psychosocial health”.
“The family structure in Malaysia is different from Western culture and (in Malaysia) joint families are (more) common. We should allow families to dine together rather than allowing (only) two people.
“However, the restaurant or meeting space must be large enough to ensure good ventilation and prevent overcrowding. I suggest using the maximum occupancy as a guide on the total number of people allowed in restaurants.
“Relaxation of restrictions can also be a major motivator to encourage those who are vaccinehesitant to register and get vaccinated,” he said.
Former Malaysian Medical Association president, Datuk Dr N.K.S. Tharmaseelan said to ensure SOP compliance among the public, public figures and politicians must set a good example to the people.
He said leaders’ refusal to adhere to SOP due to their positions will only pose a danger to the general public by becoming the “source of the spread” of the Covid-19 virus.
“Some VIPs and politicians are setting bad examples by flouting the SOP when they should be encouraging others to follow the rules.
“At the same time, opening up (businesses) without vaccinating everyone will definitely lead to an increase in cases which is why we need to do more tests.
“The more (Covid-19) tests we conduct, the more cases we will be able to detect and eventually, these cases will decrease,” he said.
Meanwhile, Alliance for Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye called for the authorities to find a balance before making final decisions in regard to the country’s Covid-19 SOP.
He said although the government was aiming to save as many lives as possible during the pandemic, Putrajaya should also be practical and realistic when coming up with new SOP for the public.
“We have no idea how long Covid-19 is going to live with us. The best approach for all Malaysians is first, get vaccinated and secondly, comply with all SOP even if you are already vaccinated.
“We are hoping to achieve herd immunity by the end of the year, and that is something to look forward to, but we must take notice of the struggles of both employers and employees.
“I am worried about the people’s livelihood and mental health state.
“Not only are employees losing their jobs, but employers are also starting to close shop now because they are unable to survive.
“Can you imagine the state of their mental health? People need to earn a living and we can start small by allowing limited dineins at restaurants, for example,” he said.