The Health October 2021 | Page 25

People are hoping the government will bring about changes in managing the situation amidst reopening of businesses

| Column |

OCTOBER , 2021 | THE HEALTH

25

Schools will also reopen , and parents have been given the choice whether to send their kids to school or study from home . The element of uncertainty and risk still lingers on parents ’ minds .”

Business unusual

People are hoping the government will bring about changes in managing the situation amidst reopening of businesses

AS THE new Prime Minister ( PM ) took office on Aug 21 , 2021 , a number of events took place in the country which saw the reopening of businesses . Traffic jams were signs that seem to signal things are going back to normal – albeit still a risky and dangerous situation . Many of us cannot help feeling this unseen danger as the number of Covid-19 infections does not seem to go down . It has crossed the two million mark , despite the high number of partially and fully vaccinated people in the country .

What is going on ? The number of deaths too have touched five figures at more than 22,000 since the outbreak . And talk of declaring the pandemic an endemic in October ( whatever that implies ) has come from the new Health Minister .
As I write this on Malaysia Day , I hear kids screaming at the swimming pool below . The condo management has opened the pool with strict SOPs in place . I will soon be going down to enjoy my long awaited swim when there is no one around .
During the weekend I was at my friend ’ s farm in Hulu Yam and was shocked to find the river which runs by the road packed with families enjoying their picnic and dipping in the cool river water .
Viral videos of similar scenes of crowded holiday makers in other parts of Selangor and Malacca sent shivers among netizens at the lack of proper physical distancing being practiced , as they fear that another spike in infections will be inevitable .
Reduce the politicking So where do we stand on this ? They are hoping the new PM , Health Minister and government officials will bring about the desired changes in managing the situation . The opposition party leaders have signed an MOU with the government to work together to solve the pandemic issue and revive the economy .
It is a good move as we must have the chance to help ourselves and our political leaders to reduce the politicking . At least we know that Parliament will not be dissolved before July next year and this will allow us to focus on the key goals .
The whole political landscape will change after that , and we can decide our future then depending on the outcome of the performance of this new arrangement .
Meanwhile we must live with the virus .
DIFFERENT STROKES
BY ADI SATRIA
Picnickers flouting the SOPs .
The SOPs must continue to be practiced . At least now we can travel within Selangor and Kuala Lumpur freely . Langkawi is also opening up with flights and hotels fully booked commencing on Malaysia Day on Sept 16th .
Schools will also reopen , and parents have been given the choice whether to send their kids to school or study from home . The element of uncertainty and risk still lingers on parents ’ minds .
As the world continues to debate on the cure for the infected , I personally feel that there is already a protocol to manage it which should focus on early intervention . The debate continues on the use of Ivermectin as a key factor in stopping the virus replication and reduction of the viral load on infected people .
Finding a quick solution
We await the decision of the health authorities on the outcome of clinical tests on Ivermectin on Stage 4 and 5 patients . Nevertheless , the fact remains that those who have taken Ivermectin at the early stage have been cured successfully . This also includes taking vitamins B , C , D3 and zinc to improve and enhance their immune system .
Yet , pharmacies are not allowed to sell Ivermectin , and government doctors are reluctant to prescribe it . As Stage 1 patients are encouraged to undergo home quarantine , there is also no clear protocol if things get worse for the infected .
As a result , cases of BID ( brought in dead ) seem to have increased daily . The cause of this has not been revealed , let alone how to prevent it from happening
The general call from health activist groups , in particular the Malaysian Association for the Advancement of Functional and Interdisciplinary Medicine ( MAAFIM ) as well as consumer groups and PATRIOT is for the health authorities to quickly find the solution by learning from successful governments such as state governments in Uttar Pradesh , Goa and Delhi where Covid-19 deaths have almost disappeared , and infections reduced by more than 80 per cent .
Even countries like El Salvador distribute medical packs consisting of zinc , vitamins D3 , asprin and Ivermectin to their people as part of measures to combat the pandemic .
We cannot continue to do the same thing and expect changes to happen . It is insane . — The Health
ADI SATRIA , a veteran of marketing communications , and a community activist feels that every disease has a cure . Yet he is frustrated that certain simple protocols are not forthcoming as the campaign to educate the public is not innovative enough and enforcement leaves much to be desired . Vaccination alone is not the answer .