‘SOP must be strictly upheld’

 

Spot check: Lance Corporal Mohamad Azreen (right) and Constable Qamarul Arrifen from the IPD Serdang patrol unit checking to ensure shops are following the SOP in Taman Kinrara, Puchong. — AZHAR MAHFOF/ The Star

PETALING JAYA: The standard operating procedure (SOP) to fight Covid-19 must be strictly upheld as the country transitions out of the movement control order due to end on Feb 4, say public health experts.

Universiti Putra Malaysia medical epidemiologist Assoc Prof Dr Malina Osman said only essential activities related to economic sectors should be allowed past the second round of the MCO.

“The SOP should also be enforced by a specific authority. For example, the SOP at the workplace and its strict implementation should be monitored by an appointed committee to ensure high compliance, ” she suggested.

Prof Malina added that all events related to social gatherings should be banned in the event the MCO was relaxed.

“This would include interstate travel for social reasons such as balik kampung and reunions, ” she added.

She said the implementation of the SOP must be standardised, with no exemption granted to anyone.

“Any violation of the SOP by those in the public eye should be addressed, with action taken accordingly, ” she added.

Prof Dr Moy Foong Ming of Universiti Malaya’s Department of Social and Preventive Medicine said the government should consider recruiting NGOs or volunteers to be its eyes and ears.

“There should be full enforcement of the SOP but there may be shortage of staff to enforce compliance. The possibility of getting NGOs or volunteers to monitor compliance should be explored.

“Some responsibility should be passed on to owners or managers of shops and restaurants, and for a penalty to be imposed for SOP violations, ” she said.

Prof Moy said if the MCO was lifted on Feb 4, the interstate travel ban should be continued to curb the spread of the virus.

“Dining out, however, can be allowed with strict SOP enforced by the eateries and customers.

“This is because some individuals may not have the time or the convenience to purchase takeaway food to be eaten at their workplace or where they live, ” she said.

In the quest to strike a balance between the national economy and public health, she said Malaysians should understand that all these sacrifices were necessary in order for the escalating Covid-19 situation to be brought under control until vaccines were available here.

Bernama reports Malaysian Public Health Physicians Association president Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar as saying that it was more important to tighten the SOP so that the spread of Covid-19 did not become worse.

“In fact, even if there is no MCO, it is all right, but the SOP is necessary. Compliance is vital to flatten the Covid-19 curve, ” he said.

Dr Zainal Ariffin said if the MCO were to end and continued with a conditional MCO, social gatherings or any gathering involving large crowds must remain banned, together with interstate travel.

“Any event held indoors such as kenduri, feasts and birthday celebrations that involve many people should not be allowed.

“Do like what is done in other countries; for example in Singapore where a maximum of only five people are allowed at a social event, ” he added.

Dr Zainal Ariffin also said the government needed to take stricter action against factories if there were reports of workers found positive with Covid-19.

Assoc Prof Dr Yahya Mat Arip of Universiti Sains Malaysia said what the country needed was a targeted MCO rather than blanket action.

“We are aware of the impact of MCO on society, especially in terms of the economy.

“But at the same time, we need to deal with Covid-19; there is a need to balance these two.

“The authorities have identified several sectors that are hotspots for Covid-19 cases, so it is possible that the MCO can be targeted at these sectors, ” the virologist said, adding that an ideal period for a targeted MCO would be 14 days.

In a virtual media briefing last Monday, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the second MCO, or MCO 2.0, might not be extended from the tentative Feb 4 end date.

“We do not want to prolong the MCO. If it is prolonged, our economy could be affected. We need to balance health and economy, life and livelihood, ” he remarked.

Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that the National Security Council would consider the next course of action when the second round of the MCO ended.

The government has made efforts to strike a balance between protecting public health and preserving businesses, with the Prime Minister agreeing to form a health and scientific Covid-19 advisory group.

Prior to this, 46 health experts had proposed that a special task force comprising medical and economic experts be formed to advise the government on matters related to pandemic management.

Malaysia first enacted the MCO on March 18 last year, where all places of worship, schools and business premises were closed except for supermarkets and grocery stores.

It was later replaced with the conditional MCO on May 4, under which restrictions were relaxed to allow almost all economic sectors and business activities to reopen.

However, in that version of the conditional MCO, interstate travel was barred except with police permission.

When the cases were under control, the conditional MCO was subsequently replaced by the recovery MCO starting from June 10, which allowed for interstate travel.

Following the Sabah elections on Sept 26, cases began rising until the government announced a second conditional MCO in Sabah, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya in mid-October, followed by other states in later weeks.

Cross-district travel was originally only allowed with police permission but the inter-district and interstate travel ban was later rescinded on Dec 5.

With four-digit daily increases not slowing down, the government announced that most of the country would transition into a second round of the MCO on Jan 13, with the people not allowed to travel beyond 10km of their homes.

Only five economic sectors were allowed to operate. - Star