I urge the Federal Government to heed professional advice and scientific data to plan for rolling back MCO more meticulously, in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic.
A research study done jointly by Oxford University and Blavatnik School of Government released on 23 April indicates that Malaysia is not quite ready for rolling back its lockdown (Movement Control Order) and re-opening its economy according to the WHO criteria for rolling back lockdown measures in containing Covid-19 pandemic.
There are 6 criteria set up by WHO in assessing countries’ readiness to roll back lockdown measures against Covid-19 pandemic, and the study was based on the first two (Criteria 1 and 2) and the last criteria (Criteria5 and 6) due to lack of data on Criteria 3 and 4. According to the study, there are only 10 countries that score well in the 4 criteria studied for readiness to roll back lockdown, namely Vietnam, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, South Korea, Belize, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Slovenia, Jordan and Barbados.
According to the study, Malaysia has not done well in the first two criteria-that is in controlling transmission of the epidemic, and detecting the disease by testing and effectiveness in isolating caes, but Malaysia scores reasonably well in two other criteria of managing the risk of disease transmission and public engagement in regards to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nonetheless, the other two WHO criteria (3 and 4)–that is, identifying outbreak risks in high-vulnerability settings and preventive measures at workplace are yet to be established before lifting MCO and re-opening of economy, businesses and industries could be considered.
There are many measures that need to be re-assured before the reopening of economy can be carried out, including ensuring our health facilities and health care workforce will be able to cope with another possible peak of the epidemic after reopening, ramping up testing, mass testing of workers who will be going back to work, ensuring hygienic and preventive measures implemented at workplace and effective contact tracing.
Public awareness could be further enhanced by exemplary leadership shown by the public figures. The Deputy Minster of Health and Perak State Exco have been convicted for the violation of MCO. It is no longer a legal issue but has become a political issue whereby political leaders should show exemplary leadership, especially in the efforts of containing Covid-19 pandemic.
I would like to urge all authorities concerned to heed professional advice and scientific data to ensure that all safety and preventive measures at public place and workplace are in place before re-opening our businesses and industries.
P/S The WHO criteria for rolling back lockdown are as follows:
- COVID-19 transmission is controlled to a level of sporadic cases and clusters of cases, all from known contacts or importations; at a minimum, new cases would be reduced to a level that the health system can manage based on health care capacity.
- Sufficient public health workforce and health system capacities are in place to enable the major shift from detecting and treating mainly serious cases to detecting and isolating all cases, irrespective of severity and whether there is local transmission or an importation.
- Outbreak risks in high-vulnerability settings are minimised, which requires all major drivers or amplifiers of COVID-19 transmission to have been identified, with appropriate measures in place to maximise physical distancing and minimise the risk of new outbreaks.
- Preventive measures are established in workplaces.
- Manage the risk of exporting and importing cases from communities with high risks of transmission.
- Communities are fully engaged and understand that the transition away from large-scale movement restrictions and public health and social measures – from detecting and treating serious cases to detecting and isolating all cases – is a ‘new normal’ in which prevention measures would be maintained, and that all people have key roles in preventing a resurgence in case numbers.