No exit strategy until high SOP compliance from Malaysians, says DG

CORONAVIRUS | Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said there needs to be a high compliance rate for the standard operating procedure (SOP) under the conditional movement control order (MCO) as well as a steady two-digit daily new Covid-19 cases before an exit strategy can be discussed.

“Before we can discuss an exit strategy – and we are not discussing an exit strategy now, only loosening under the conditional MCO – Malaysians must comply (with the SOP).

“If they do not comply, we might extend the conditional MCO. If they comply and with a good two-digit number (of new cases), maybe we can consider whether we need a more detailed exit strategy,” Noor Hisham said in the daily Covid-19 press briefing at the Health Ministry in Putrajaya today.

Earlier, he said Malaysia has been able to maintain their daily new Covid-19 cases at two digits in the past two weeks since the start of the conditional MCO.

This means that the conditional MCO, with its loosened restrictions, has been a success.

“If we see the MCO and the conditional MCO, we have succeeded in maintaining (our new cases) at two digits.

“That means our conditional MCO is also successful… but the compliance rate needs to be higher,” Noor Hisham (photo) said.

Despite the success of the conditional MCO so far, the Health Ministry is worried about the upcoming festive season and whether it will cause a spike in new Covid-19 cases.

“We are worried that if we do not comply with the SOP, cases will increase. So we hope the people of Malaysia will comply with the SOP during the festive season.

“The SOP is easy but maybe it is hard to practice. I think everyone knows what they have to do but they have to practice it as a habit and a culture,” he said.

Noor Hisham also said that recovered patients of Covid-19 cannot receive guests right after they recover as they still need to undergo 14 days of quarantine after they are discharged from the hospital.

He was responding to a question on whether recovered patients can receive visitors during the festive season.

“During those 14 days, do not have visitors. After that, they can have visitors, but they will still have to follow SOP, such as washing hands frequently,” he said.

On whether the Health Ministry will recommend putting SOPs in place against parents bringing their young children out to shopping malls or to hospitals without an appointment, he said for now they are still practicing the soft approach that is advising parents against doing so.

However, if parents continue to bring their children out to public places such as shopping malls or to a hospital without an appointment, then the Health Ministry will discuss whether enforcement is needed with the National Security Council (NSC).

Earlier today, Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had also said the government will look into the need for an amendment to the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease 1988 (Act 342) to take legal action against parents who bring their young children out to shopping malls. - Mkini