Health DG Explains Decision To Reopen Economy On 4th May
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During the Health Ministry’s daily Covid-19 briefing, the Health Director General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah gave some insight into the country’s decision to reopen the economy on 4th May in the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
The intention of the MCO is not to end the transmission of the virus, but to flatten the curve.
Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Health Director General.
Citing the projection of 8,900 Covid-19 cases by the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER), Dr Noor Hisham explains that it’s clear that Malaysia has successfully flattened the curve, but the battlefield in the ongoing war against the virus has changed.
On a different battlefield, a new strategy is needed as the Health Ministry expects that the virus will remain in the community for a long time, around a year or so. Therefore, the next step after flattening the curve is to control the disease for the long term while balancing livelihoods.
For example, dengue is part of the community, but we learn to take action from time to time. Similarly, Covid-19 will be a part of the community now, but the only way to protect ourselves is to follow the Health Ministry’s SOP and make sure we comply.
Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Health Director General.
Therefore, Dr Noor Hisham explains that there are two important things that the community needs to empower themselves with:
- Social discipline
- Social responsibility
He warns that if Malaysians do not take on personal responsibility to maintain social distancing and adhering to the authorities’ guidelines on minimising their risk of the disease, the country’s fight with Covid-19 will be difficult for the next couple of weeks.
The Health Ministry urges for public compliance to break the transmission of Covid-19 and ask Malaysians to stay home unless necessary because it’s still the safest place until a cure or vaccine is found.
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