The lax surveillance of the Covid-19 situation worldwide means there is no accurate big picture of the ongoing dangers of the pandemic.
This has led to a lack of vigilance among the general public, many of whom tend to believe Covid-19 is just like any other flu now, said Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) member Dr Balachandran S Krishnan.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) is concerned that many countries are taking a lackadaisical attitude as if Covid-19 is no more, with no more surveillance and no more genomic sequencing which is important to identify new variants.
“We are worried about the sudden emergence of new variants that nobody knows (with the lack of surveillance). Whether it will be worse than Delta or better, we don’t know.
“People are taking Covid-19 very lightly now, thinking that it’s like any other (illness with) flu-like symptoms,” he said in an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini.
He pointed out that the WHO still considers Covid-19 a public health emergency of international concern.
As such, he urged the Malaysian public to remain vigilant against the pandemic.
To do that, Balachandran (above) advocated getting the vaccine, especially the booster shots, continuing self-testing, and getting early treatment if one catches the disease.
He pointed to data from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) between April 4, 2021 to Sept 3, 2022 which found Covid deaths were higher among non-vaccinated people compared to those who had at least one vaccine dose.
“That shows vaccines work. Better to get protection from the vaccine rather than once you already get it, it can be too late as the deaths (from Covid-19) are still high.
“There are also self-test kits. People are testing but they are not reporting. When they are not reporting and they are not seeking early treatments, the Omicron variant for people with comorbidities can lead to hospitalisation, intensive care units, and death.
“So get your booster, get tested if you have symptoms, and within five days of the onset of symptoms, get your treatments.
“I believe if people take the right steps, try to get the right treatment, I presume they can come out of it, if not 100 percent then at least 99 percent,” Balachandran said.
Dangers of Covid
With vigilance as his main message, the doctor said it is absolutely crucial that people stay alert to the dangers of Covid-19.
Even if an individual only has mild symptoms of Covid, they could endanger those around them by going out and spreading the virus.
“You become a big liability to society. People think it’s Omicron and it is only simple mild symptoms, but for those who have chronic diseases or the elderly, it could go very fast from simple to hospitalisation,” he said.
Especially as Malaysia has a tropical climate, he said that many suffer from various types of upper respiratory diseases and now the situation is exacerbated by Covid-19.
And if many of them are admitted into the emergency departments of the country’s hospitals, he said this makes the problems in the public healthcare system worse.
The government has already done a lot to control the spread of the disease and raise awareness so it is time for the public to take responsibility into their own hands, he added.
“The Health Ministry is updating (Covid-19 data) every day on their platform. They never stop reporting how many cases, deaths, etc., per day.
“Why are they reporting this? They want the public to be aware that it is still happening.
“I believe from the awareness from the public, the public needs to take responsibility," he said.
Covid vaccines
According to data from the Health Ministry’s website, half the country’s population already took their first booster dose of the vaccine but only a low figure of 2.5 percent received their second booster, as of Feb 27, 2023.
Putrajaya is also currently in the process of procuring Covid-19 bivalent vaccines from Pfizer, which were originally estimated to arrive in Malaysia by the end of January.
The bivalent vaccine is a new version that has been adapted to provide improved protection against the Omicron variant.
Preliminary research data have pointed to a modest improvement in preventing Covid hospitalisation, even compared to those who received a monovalent booster just a couple of months earlier.
However, the CDC and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the new shot could be linked to a type of brain stroke in older adults but added that this requires more investigation.
The National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) has since said it is closely monitoring data on the matter.
With the uncertain wait for the bivalent vaccine, Balachandran said it is better to get the booster shot as soon as possible even if it is the monovalent vaccine.
”It is like helmets are there to prevent head injuries. Now your helmet is already torn off, you need to get a new helmet.
“You can get the best helmet which you have to wait for, or you can get the second best which is available now. Take action now,” he said.
Another risk of contracting Covid-19 is the possibility of getting ‘Long Covid’, he said.
Long Covid symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and chronic coughs tend to last longer than four weeks with some up to two months.
Health Ministry data shows around 25,000 patients suffered from long Covid in 2022 but that statistic only covers those who sought treatment, he said.
“This advice (of the right treatment for long Covid) you can only get from the hospitals, but there are many who have Long Covid but never go to the hospital.
“There could also be permanent sequelae (effects of a disease),” he warned.
All of this does not mean Balachandran is advocating for a return to the most stringent restrictions against Covid-19.
“Life goes on. You can’t be afraid but you need to take care, always be aware, and take precautions,” he said.
This interview is part of an ongoing educational campaign themed ‘Covid-19: Quickly Test and Treat’, organised by the Malaysian Society of Infection Control and Infectious Diseases (MyICID) in collaboration with The Family Medicine Association Malaysia (FMSA), and MMA. - Mkini
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