DG reminds all regardless of position to follow SOPs
COVID-19 | As daily new Covid-19 infections remain high, Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has reminded Malaysians from all walks of life to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“I would like to remind myself and the people regardless of pangkat (position), ethnicity and other (categories) to follow SOPs.
“You are advised to stay at home if you do not have important matters...
COVID-19 | As daily new Covid-19 infections remain high, Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has reminded Malaysians from all walks of life to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“I would like to remind myself and the people regardless of pangkat (position), ethnicity and other (categories) to follow SOPs.
“You are advised to stay at home if you do not have important matters (outdoors) because Covid-19 is already in the community and it is spreading.
“But if you have important matters (outdoors) please ensure we adhere to SOPs - wear a mask at all times, wash your hands and maintain a physical distance of at least one metre,” he said at the end of his Covid-19 briefing today.
Noor Hisham added that he was confident that the country would succeed in overcoming the third wave of infections, just like it had during last year’s second wave.
“This is why we have imposed the movement control order (MCO), to break the chain of infection,” he said.
International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali was recently criticised for allegedly violating MCO rules after he travelled to Pengerang, Johor for a flood relief mission.
Johor Bahru MP Akmal Nasir raised questions after Azmin was photographed seated with others at a table with packed food and water.
Interstate travel and dining-in are prohibited in states like Johor where the MCO is in force.
The minister later said his trip was sanctioned by the National Security Council (NSC).
MCO effect yet to kick in
Meanwhile, Noor Hisham analysed that the effect of the MCO had yet to kick in.
Daily new infections have remained mostly above the 3,000 mark since Jan 13 when the MCO was imposed in five states and three federal territories. Malaysia recorded 3,631 new Covid-19 infections today.
The government has since imposed a nationwide MCO except in Sarawak.
Due to Covid-19’s 14-day incubation period, the top official said the ministry will assess the effectiveness of the strategy in the coming week.
“We hope to see the daily cases stabilise to about 3,000 in the next week.
“Then we will assess the impact of the MCO on bringing down the case numbers after being in force for two weeks.
“We might re-assess the strategy after two weeks to see if we need to extend the MCO by another two weeks,” he added.
Noor Hisham shared that the nationwide infectivity rate (R0) was at 1.16 as of yesterday (Jan 18).
