By Joe Fernandez
THERE are no indications on the fate of Phase 2, 3 and 4 of the lockdown. It may be a whole new ballgame if the Agong reconvenes Parliament, even if he does not appoint a new Prime Minister as soon as possible.
Lockdown Phase 1, which began Tues 1 June 2021, continues indefinitely, as the three threshholds have not been met viz. less than 4,000 virus cases a day, moderate hospitalisation in intensive care, and 10% of the population vaccinated.
The good news may be that no new variant has emerged after Alpha in the UK, Beta in South Africa, Gamma in Brazil and Delta and Delta+ in India.
Malaysians need clarity on the pandemic for the way forward, otherwise “public cooperation” will be lacking.
It’s not clear why those vaccinated two doses must also comply with lockdown. They are reportedly protected from the virus for six to 12 months. Being carriers, they may infect the unvaccinated but not those vaccinated.
Since the unvaccinated are at home, under lockdown, there’s no risk the vaccinated will infect them. The CV-19, being very contagious, remains a non-issue.
The case for lockdown arises from preventing the public healthcare system collapsing and imploding under the weight of hospitalisation.
So far, no figures have been made available on breathing difficulties which need oxygen support at the hospital, at home, the number in self-isolation at home under treatment for symptoms and those in quarantine for 14 days.
Those quarantined can be housed at the many hotels which have ample rooms available. The Government should seriously consider paying the hotels used for quarantine purposes. It will prevent the hospitality sector collapsing and imploding.
New studies worldwide show that lockdown does not bring more benefits than the standard operating procedures (SOPs). Also, Malaysia has the MySejahtera App which tracks virus risks.
These studies include those done by the University of Southern California, the Rand Corporation in the US and Stanford University. The European Journal of Clinical Investigation has published peer-reviewed studies.
Two studies in the journal Nature begged to differ. The Imperial College London, linked with Bill Gates, did one study. The other study was done by scientists in the US.
The Great Barrington Declaration, a controversial statement by infectious disease epidemiologists and public health scientists, encourages the Government to lift lockdown restrictions to achieve herd immunity among the young and healthy people, while focusing protections on the elderly.
The MySejahtera App must not only be made compulsory but enforced. It also hosts the vaccination certificate.
If there’s no lockdown, the public will get used to the SOP and MySejahtera. There’s no SOP and MySejahtera at home.
When the lockdown ends – as it must eventually, later if not sooner – there’s no guarantee that there would not be new spikes in the form of clusters, surges and waves.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has been quoted as saying in the media that transmission and spread no longer may need crowding at the local community level. He fears that the virus has spread everywhere, outside the home. Hence, new infections no longer need clusters, surges and waves.
The media may not have realised the significance of this statement which paints the utter hopelessness on the pandemic in Malaysia in the absence of herd immunity.
The Government knows when herd immunity can be reached.
So far, it has not set firm milestones which will chart progress on beating the pandemic. It may have some idea, judging from media statements, but firmness remains the missing component on the vaccination programme.
There’s no evidence that the Government may be “frantically” reaching out to the people. It appears to be simply issuing press statements and waiting for the people to turn up voluntarily at the vaccination centres. In the US, the vaccinated are eligible for lucky draws paying out millions.
The National Security Council (NSC) sends out SMS now and then on vaccination and related issues. It hardly comments on the strong anti-vaccination movement in Malaysia. – June 28, 2021
Joe Fernandez is a longtime Borneo watcher and a regular FocusM contributor.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
