The Government especially the Ministry of Health must ramp up public communication to continue to educate the public on the benefits of public masking even in view of possible lifting of mask mandates in our country, especially after the festive season.
This is in view of the move yesterday by Bukit Aman to withdraw the order to stop enforcement of mask mandates after initially a circular ordering police to stop issuing compounds for not wearing masks went viral.
Even though this was a “u-turn”, the sign is that it is pointing towards a likelihood that such mask mandates will be lifted especially for outdoors. However, if ever such decision is made, it must be first and foremost made and announced by the Ministry of Health and then a coordinated inter-Ministry effort to educate and come out with clear advisory on the importance and benefits of masking even without a mandate.
This could include an advisory for different people groups or communities that should continue with masking even outdoors especially the vulnerable groups or those in close contact with vulnerable groups.
This would include those with compromised immunity, or live with someone who is. In such cases it is a good idea to continue wearing a mask and maintaining social distance around strangers, especially in indoor areas with standing air where the virus may collect.
Masks are also important if you’re unvaccinated or spending time with others who are unvaccinated. Unvaccinated people including children are at overwhelmingly higher risk of hospitalization and death from Covid-19. Masks are also a must in hospitals or healthcare facilities, where there are many vulnerable people.
At the end of the day, every decision whether to relax restrictions on Covid-19 SOPs even in endemicity must be based on data and science.
So based on current knowledge, the data now shows that outdoor and open ventilated areas, the likelihood of the disease spreading is much lower compared to when you are indoors or less ventilated space. So, in that sense, if we are outdoors, in a non-congested area, the risk is lower and is somewhat safer not to put on a mask.
One way to guide is to determine if there is proper ventilation is that if you can’t feel wind on your cheeks, you’re probably not in an area of great outdoor ventilation, where risk is much lower. Such data was used in Singapore’s decision to allow un-masking only in outdoor areas but still has mask mandates indoors especially in crowded areas such as public transport.
With that said, data has also show that an over-relaxed Covid-19 restrictions especially in other countries may cause a vertical surge of cases that can still overwhelm the healthcare system resulting in a diminished quality of care for all patients. One of the reason our country Malaysia does not see a vertical surge of cases even in view of Omicron, is due to our more conservative SOPs including compulsory masking.
So even though data shows less likelihood, it doesn’t mean it can’t spread in outdoor areas especially in crowded and congested areas. That is why I am glad the Malaysian government did not follow the Singapore’s approach of un-masking outdoors in view of Ramadhan due to congested events such as Ramadhan Bazaar.
With that said, the likelihood is that such masking-mandates especially outdoors will be relaxed especially after the Hari Raya celebration, but it does not mean we must put our guards down. I still encourage everyone, if possible, to put on a mask, especially in congested and crowded areas especially in less-well ventilated areas.
However before such decision is being announced, the government must communicate it properly and set forth a clear advisory on the different people groups on who are highly encouraged to continue masking even when they are outdoors.
We do not want to see an uncontrollable vertical surge which has been seen in countries that relaxed their restrictions too drastically which is typical of Omicron. We can’t just assume Omicron is “mild” but it also has the risk of overwhelming our healthcare system if not properly handled.