august-september, 2020 | The Health
03
| The Health says ... |
Not the time
for double
standards
22-23
22-23
Vital health information
for the masses
The National Health and Mobidity Survey
provides community-based data and evidence
24
Supply chain reconfiguration
post Covid-19
The pandemic has been a catalyst in exposing
the critical need for businesses
to further digitalise
26
Life in the US behind
the hazmat suit
Malaysian specialist Dr Avinesh shares his
challenges of being a frontliner
26
27
27
A heart for cycling
HDC Chairman Datuk Mahmud’s thirst for
biking keeps his heart muscles strong
28
Sepsis and the immune response
The key to combat sepsis lies in a balanced
immune response that produces enough
reaction to kill off pathogens
29
29
SOP negligence begins
to show its impact
While waiting for the arrival of a Covid-19
vaccine, we should not let our guard down
30
T cells to the rescue
A type of white blood cell may be crucial in
our fight against Covid-19
31
Why doctors should be impartial
A doctor’s lack of professionalism and
integrity can adversely affect the patient
31
Malaysians must be given
a pat on their backs for their
determination in fighting the
Covid-19 pandemic. It took
a lot of discipline as citizens
resolved to comply with the
Movement Control Order (MCO).
The Director-General of Health Tan Sri
Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has done an
outstanding job in effectively mobilising our
frontliners who have risked their lives for
the country.
But while our civil servants rose to the
occasion and made our nation proud, the
same cannot be said of some politicians.
While the Prime Minister has been
warning and advising Malaysians to adhere
to the MCO, some senior politicians have
blatantly violated the MCO.
A Minister, Deputy Minister and
State Exco member were among several
prominent personalities caught breaching
the MCO but let off with a fine of RM1,000.
However, we saw a 72-year woman and
57-year-old man jailed and fined RM8,000
and RM12,000 respectively for similar
offences.
Why the double standards?
Malaysians have expressed outrage with the
kid-glove treatment accorded to politicians.
Why haven’t they been made to resign as
has happened in other countries?
Under the MCO, the Covid-19 infectivity
rate or R-Naught (RO) was brought down
from 3.55 to 0.6 and further reduced to 0.3
during the Conditional Movement Control
Order (CMCO). But under the Recovery
Movement Control Order (RMCO), the RO
had risen to 1.36 in July.
Is the government becoming
complacent under the RMCO?
For example, it allowed those returning from
abroad to be quarantined at home rather
than at designated quarantine centres
as was the practice earlier. This resulted
in around 3,000 individuals under home
quarantine failing to appear for their 13-day
mandatory screening.
Also, is there a need to consider giving
discounts to those who were fined RM1,000
for not wearing face masks? Wouldn’t that
only encourage more breaches? Ironically,
at one time, there were calls to increase the
RM1,000 fine.
Not surprisingly, the number of active
Covid-19 cases is rising. We see more
clusters too. On Sept 8, the number of
new cases reached a three-month high of
100. Many are also not practising social
distancing in crowded areas.
The relevant authorities must step up
their act. It would be a shame to see the
success of our frontliners who have been
toiling day and night go to waste.
Moreover, our economy, which shrunk by
a massive 17.1 per cent in Q2, cannot afford
another lockdown. The damage could well
be devastating.