Pandemic exit plan unveiled

Pandemic exit plan unveiled

Putrajaya has unveiled a four-phase exit plan, which estimates that life can get back to normal - with Covid-19 SOPs still in place - by November, hopefully.

We are currently in Phase One.

The goal is to have less than an average of 500 cases daily, "sufficient" availability of ICU beds, and 60 percent of the population fully vaccinated so we can enter Phase Four by November.

If this is achieved, then interstate travel will be allowed, as will most social activities. All economic sectors can also operate by then.

Some easing of restrictions on social activities will be made under Phase Three - if Covid-19 cases drop below 2,000 per day, available ICU beds are "sufficient" and, 40 percent of the population are vaccinated.

Under Phase Three, both schools and Parliament will also be re-opened.

The country will move through the phases faster if all targets for daily cases, ICU occupancy, and vaccination rate are met earlier. If any of the targets are not met, there will be delays.

Until then, life under lockdown will continue for a while longer - with Phase Two only easing restrictions for worker capacity and for more economic sectors to open.

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More vaccines approved

The exit plan announcement coincided with vaccines from China’s CanSino Biologics and US’ Johnson & Johnson being approved for use in Malaysia.

In April, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said Malaysia would be getting 3.5 million doses of CanSino in stages.

He had said that CanSino would be used mainly in rural areas or areas where it was difficult for recipients to receive double injections.

The Drug Control Authority (DCA) also approved Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for children as young as 12 years old.

Meanwhile, Japan announced it will provide AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in their country to Malaysia - with deliveries starting in July.

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Unvaccinated med student claims barred from exam Her clinical exam would have dealt with real patients.  

Remembering Nhaveen

Yesterday marked the fourth year anniversary of 18-year-old murder victim T Nhaveen's death.

Nhaveen was harassed and attacked by a group of teenagers, including a former schoolmate, on his way home on the night of June 9, 2017.

He was abducted and found with serious injuries the next morning. He died while in hospital on June 15, 2017.

His death came two weeks after Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, a Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia student, died from injuries caused by alleged torture by his university mates.

Nhaveen's mother Shanti Durairaj has called on the government to mark June 15 as National Anti-Bullying Day in honour of her son, Zulfarhan, and others who died from bullying.

In Nhaveen's case, four people have been charged with his murder. However, Shanti has lodged police reports claiming more than four people were involved in the crime.

She also vowed to go on a hunger strike if they do not get to meet the prosecutor overseeing the case by June 22 - one week before the next trial date.

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A daily glance at Covid-19

5,419 new cases yesterday (June 15).

The death toll crossed the 4,000 mark after 101 new deaths.

In Selangor, every one in seven new Covid-19 cases was detected among those with symptoms and are not linked to existing clusters or are close contacts.

For trends on daily cases, tests, hospital beds capacity, vaccination progress and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.

What else is happening?

Umno officials denied an extraordinary meeting was called for talks between party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Umno ministers.

In a court filing, Umno Youth executive council member Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris denied being blogger Papagomo.

The People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) claimed it did not register individuals as members without their knowledge and permission.

The Pahang state government said it would expand the Chini Forest Reserve as ordered by Pahang regent Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah. This followed Malaysiakini's special report on a new royalty-linked mining project in the area.

State and local officials in Negeri Sembilan were asked to act on reportedly high infection rates of Covid-19 within Orang Asli villages in the state.

HIGHLIGHTS Student group raises RM43k to save Malayan tigers Funds collected from merchandise sales. 13k disabled to get drive-through vaccination The drive-through centre in Ara Damansara targets 200 doses daily. HSBC to close 13 branches by year-end It will expand its digital banking presence.  
CARTOON KINI