Experts: Lockdown in worst-hit areas inevitable
KUALA LUMPUR: Health experts described the increase in cases and the high occupancy rate of critical care and Intensive Care Units’ (ICU) beds for treating Covid-19 patients in the Klang Valley as worrying.
Epidemiologist and biostatistician from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Associate Professor Dr Malina Osman, said the high occupancy rate of 90 per cent signalled an alarming situation for the healthcare system.
She said any further increase in cases would burden the healthcare system and frontliners.
“This can lead to a situation where the healthcare system might not be able to handle critical cases,” she told the New Straits Times.
With daily figures exceeding 3,000 and the prediction that the country might register 5,000 daily cases by the end of the month, Dr Malina had recommended that high-risk activities be banned immediately.
“This includes activities that require people to remove face masks in public areas, such as dine-in, and social gatherings, such as buka puasa, wedding receptions, kenduri, tahlil and tahnik.”
She said partial lockdowns in Covid-19 worst-hit areas were inevitable because it was the best way to contain a growing number of infections.
On the mental preparedness of frontliners as they face another monumental task ahead, Dr Malina said: “I have been in their shoes. Most of them have sincere intentions in wanting to help the people.
“Based on experience, they would be able to pass through all difficulties.”
However, she said, those who criticised frontliners on social media should be regulated.
“We have to defend frontliners from criticism.”
Malaysian Public Health Physicians Association president Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar shared the same sentiment.
He said there was an urgent need to curb the rising number of cases and high occupancy rates of critical care and ICU beds.
He said measures must be put in place to prevent a fourth wave of the pandemic.
Dr Zainal Ariffin said there was no choice other than to impose another Movement Control Order (MCO) on Covid-19 worst-hit areas.
He said the MCO should be implemented for two to four weeks to control the rise in infections.
“We should boost FTTIS (findtest-trace-isolate-support), especially in states with high case numbers and clusters.
“The enforcement of standard operating procedures must be enhanced too.”
He said it was high time the Health Ministry relooked at its strategies to contain infections.
He said the government had failed in terms of community empowerment and engagement, especially in educating the public about the pandemic and imposing practices that would have encouraged the people to adopt the new norms.
On Sunday, Health directorgeneral Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah shared on social media pictures and videos of how the Covid-19 situation was impacting the healthcare system.
He revealed the dire situation at Sungai Buloh Hospital, a fullfledged Covid-19 hospital.
He said the occupancy rate of critical care and ICU beds for Covid-19 patients in the Klang Valley had reached 90 per cent.
Besides Sungai Buloh Hospital, Dr Noor Hisham said the occupancy rate of critical care and ICU beds at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Ampang Hospital, Serdang Hospital, Selayang Hospital and Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital was approaching 100 per cent.
He said if the number of cases continued to rise, the healthcare capacity would be at a critical level and the delivery of public health services would be affected.