The Health | March , 2021

hit us last year , one of the earliest casualties was an old boy from my school in Penang , who was also a cardiologist .

No , he did not contract the virus – he was caught jogging alone , and “ without a valid reason ” and was charged in court under the Prevention of Control of Infectious Diseases Regulations 2020 . He was also charged for “ obstructing a public servant from discharging his duty ” when he insisted that it was within his right to be at the park to exercise for health reasons .

He took the case to court but in the end , he pleaded guilty and was fined RM1,000 while the charge of obstruction was dropped .

Now , you would think being a doctor he was merely practising what he preaches , except that the authorities wanted to teach him ( and the public ) a lesson .

Now the newspapers are saying experts are advising that prevention is better than cure . To beat the virus , we need to continue to keep fit by enhancing our immune system with proper natural diets and exercise .

With the lockdown , the state of our mental health is also key and getting out of the house to exercise is one of the ways to remain mentally positive and staying negative , Covid-19 wise . Yet , we find many parks were closed .

In Bukit Antarabangsa , a popular recreational park for joggers , walkers as well as cyclists ( which has become an increasingly popular activity ) was closed to the public . The cyclists have labelled it Stelvio Pass @ Bukit Antarabangsa , after the famous Stelvio Pass in Italy bordering Switzerland . In Italy , there is an annual Stelvio Bike Day for cyclists to take the 25 km winding road challenge up to more than 2,000 meters above sea level .

Hire enforcers to caution the public

Well , the narrow and super mini winding road Stelvio Pass @ Bukit Antarabangsa is nowhere compared to the Italian one but it still is a challenging slope for cyclists to navigate , if not to enjoy a panoramic view of the city of Kuala Lumpur .

With the closure , we were back to using public roads , which can be dangerous since there are no real bicycle lanes in the city . And for joggers at Bukit Antarabangsa , the call for the authorities to provide jogging tracks has for years fallen on deaf ears .

Instead , they are quite happy erecting giant plastic signboards of the various residential areas in the whole of Ampang . We all know the political reason for wasting good money on these signages , instead of using it for other priorities during these pressing times .

However , recreational parks in Kuala Lumpur such as the Taman Tasek Danau Kota were open daily . One simply needs to follow the Standard Operating Procedure ( SOP ) to scan and taking one ’ s temperature before entering the park .

Well and good . The point here is the awareness of prevention can only be successful if we practice it in every aspect

of our lives during this crisis , so it becomes second nature to us .

We need to have more enforcers to advise the public to follow the SOP instead of simply issuing fines . Campaigns in the media alone will not be effective . Frontliners in this massive education campaign should be from RELA , the police and the military .

Different Strokes

by ADI SATRIA

Wherever there are crowds of people such as at the malls , LRT stations , places of worship and so on , these frontliners must be visible and be seen as a friend to educate the public .

Importance of a healthy lifestyle

Yes , the lockdowns are killing the economy . If we have to live through this pandemic for the next couple of years , we have to start practicing the new normal and take responsibility for our actions . And that means enforcement through positive education , both formal and informal .

We have to learn to live as responsible members of the community . If we continue to arrest , fine and jail offenders , it will be counter-productive . We have seen the anger and frustration among the public due to the inconsistencies of the law and enforcement .

There should also be a campaign to practice proper nutritional diets and the importance of a healthy lifestyle so that we can beat the virus with our enhanced immune system .

Those who were infected and cured can tell you that during their quarantine in the hospitals they were monitored for fever , sore throat or flu symptoms before the common Panadol , vitamin C tablets or other relevant medication was given to bring down the symptoms .

Others simply took honey and herbal or kitchen remedies and warm water to enhance their immune system besides having enough rest . Many were also asymptomatic and only when they were tested did they find out that they were positive .

Information is now available that vaccination alone may not be the only way to contain the spread of the virus .

China and India seem to encourage the practice of inhaling steam daily or when taking a hot bath , adding cloves in a hot water kettle and inhaling the boiling steam .

Easy enough , and for all these tips which I practice daily gives me all the positive confidence I need to stay in the negative territory , Covid-19 wise .

Ultimately , it is all about personal hygiene and a healthy lifestyle . — The Health

Footnote : Upon the lifting of the MCO to CMCO , the Stelvio Pass @ Bukit Antarabangsa is now open with the Menteri Besar of Selangor visiting the site on March 7 , 2021 .

Adi Satria , a marketing communications veteran , is an avid cycling enthusiast who feels that positive health education awareness and enforcement is required to enhance the community ’ s role and responsibility in combating the pandemic . Recreational parks should be kept open to enhance mental and physical health as staying home is counterproductive .