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MAY-JUNE , 2022 | THE HEALTH
27
DIFFERENT STROKES
BY ADI SATRIA
THE PANDEMIC as we know it has virtually ended , and we are moving into the endemic stage . Most restrictions have been lifted . We can all breathe a sigh of relief albeit we must wear masks in public places . The last few Friday and Saturday nights , including before Ramadhan , had seen bad jams in Kuala Lumpur as nightlife sprang back to life . Although in the mornings , the Bukit Bintang area was still a bit quiet with no traffic jams .
It seems office space is still almost empty since the pandemic ’ s start . It will be some time before tenants , old and new , return to their businesses , with work from home a consequence of the lockdown .
The Pasar Ramadhan everywhere saw crowds of people buying whatever they could as they unleashed their pent-up desire and spent like there was no tomorrow .
Well , at least they survived the pandemic , unlike those who unfortunately did not .
As we continue to see infection numbers in the four figures daily , the number of hospitalisations and deaths continue to be in two figures , which is a sure sign that the worst could be over . Many countries in Europe have finally declared the pandemic over and with the spring and Easter celebrations , life is returning to normal .
But wait , there is now a war raging in Europe . It looks like the business of death never ceases and continues in one shape , form or other . When will political leaders ever learn to finally sit down and talk about saving and enhancing the quality of life for humanity ?
Address the glaring question
The management of this whole pandemic or “ plandemic ” as some chose to describe it , and with good reason , has left many questions unanswered . From the types of vaccines being used , its efficacy , the number of doses and so-called boosters to be administered within a year on a person , to the cost of its acquisition of the vaccines by people responsible for it , have been points of controversy and debate the last two years .
The glaring question is quite simply this – that one can still be infected with Covid-19 despite having the mandatory two vaccine doses and boosters . Worse , we continuously hear of many succumbing to death days after receiving it , not just among those who are comorbid but also among seemingly healthy individuals . Even a mufti of a state has been
May Day ! May Day !
The management of this whole pandemic , or “ plandemic ” as some describe it , has left many questions unanswered
seeking answers as to why his healthy father suddenly got a stroke after taking his booster shot and finally passed away in April . He felt that the Ministry of Health ( MoH ) must seriously investigate the issue of side effects , especially on those who should not be vaccinated .
I know of friends and relatives who face many side effects after receiving their vaccines and boosters , including breathlessness , numbness of the limbs , inflammation of the joints for gout sufferers , etc . The latest is an originating summons in the High Court from a consumer NGO against the former prime minister and 16 other respondents over the handling of the pandemic .
It is so easy for us to check the issues and confirm our doubts with social media . And as an intelligent and analytical person , one cannot dismiss these reports as simply fake news or propaganda to discredit the authorities .
Health and politics and a lucrative mix
One cannot help but conclude that this indicates that this whole episode is a plan to make huge profits on the sufferings of humankind . More transparency and truthfulness must be the authorities ’ goal to discuss these issues openly to reduce the scepticism among the public .
The other burning issue is when it comes to the treatment for Covid-19 - is vaccination the only
Adi Satria , a veteran of marketing communications , believes that there are alternative ways of treating any form of disease and not just relying on western methods . Thanks to social media , this pandemic has revealed the amount of misinformation from sources we are supposed to trust . And the way forward is to practice a more informed way of life for a healthier lifestyle . answer ? We have also seen proof that many nations have used pills like Ivermectin effectively to control the virus .
Also , Traditional Chinese Medicine ( TCM ) is the other eastern remedy that our health authorities refuse to acknowledge or discuss . We should know in the coming months the answers to these burning questions .
After going through several mutations from the deadly Delta variant to the current highly infectious but not so severe Omicron variant , the answer for the cure , if not already available , will be for the world to be more equipped to meet the challenges of new variants of the Covid-19 virus .
As we all realise , health and politics do mix , and it is a lucrative mix for the stakeholders concerned . Thanks to social media , many of us are more well informed to make the right conclusion and decisions .
We have also been promised about drugs that can treat the virus , but we have not seen any sign of these drugs being used . Instead , we continue to be “ encouraged ” to take the first and second booster shots .
We cannot blame people for being wary and skeptical about this whole scheme of things . And in the light of the relaxation of the restrictions , due to the lower severity and fatal impact of the Omicron variant , most would instead take the risk of being infected and develop their natural immunity .
Studies have shown that natural immunity is far more effective in preventing the severe effects of the virus . We can only hope and pray that with more information within the global medical fraternity , we can handle the situation more effectively .
And we do not have to panic anymore about another May Day situation but instead celebrate May Day as Workers Day and salute their actual contributions to society . — The Health