Malaysians shared with the Health Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin the relief and anticipation that the country has resumed the march to make the light at the end of the tunnel of the Covid-19 pandemic brighter but it is still a long way to return to the pre-Emergency days before January 11 or to the period when we had double-digit daily cases and single-digit daily deaths.
When emergency was declared on January 11, 2021 to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, we had 2,232 daily new Covid-19 cases, a cumulative total of 138,224 cases, four daily Covid-19 deaths and a cumulative total of 555 deaths as compared to the present 7,373 daily new cases, cumulative total 2,339,594 cases, daily 64 Covid-19 deaths and cumulative total of 27,329 Covid-19 deaths.
The last time had we had triple-digit daily new Covid-19 cases was Dec. 8, 2020 when we had 851 cases; the last time we had double-digit daily cases was on Sept 30 when we had 89 cases; while the last time we had single-digit Covid-19 daily deaths was in April this year.
With the announcement by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday that interstate travel will be allowed for those who have been fully vaccinated, the previous Prime Minister’s four-phase National Recovery Plan has been abandoned.
The National Recovery Plan was announced by the then Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, on June 15 to pre-empt the special meeting of the Conference of Rulers the next day.
Although this abandonment is in line with the policy of “Living with Covid” instead of eradicating Covid-19 – which I had advocated as far back as April in contrast to relying on “total lockdowns – we must be nimble and agile to deal with new and quickly-changing circumstances as there are many unknowns in the Covid-19 pandemic.
Khairy should heed the warning of the medical specialist whom I had been in correspondence, viz:
“Be that as it may, Minister is taking a chance as it may all blow up in his face one day later on. Looks like he is banking heavily on vaccines but the vaccine effects seemed highly variable in many nations and Singapore, one of the nations with the highest vaccination rate is suffering badly from a second wave.
“The vaccine induced immunity seemed waning and leaving many unprotected. In Singapore, almost 50% of those in ICU are vaccinated. This must give much concern to the Minister as his strategy can blow up in his face. But come what may, he looks like taking a chance and going for ‘living with the virus’ either in late November or December.”
The immediate question is when Malaysia will see a return to the pre-emergency period when the daily new Covid-19 cases have dropped to 2,232 cases and the daily Covid-19 deaths have dropped to four.
(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, 11th October 2021)
Sinar harapan kian cerah buat Malaysia untuk keluar daripada pandemik Covid-19, namun perjalanan masih jauh untuk kita kembali ke era sebelum darurat 11 Januari atau era di mana kita merekodkan kes harian dalam julat dua angka dan kes kematian harian satu angka
Rakyat Malaysia berkongsi rasa lega dan penuh pengharapan seperti yang dizahirkan Menteri Kesihatan, Khairy Jamaluddin selepas negara dilihat semakin hampir untuk keluar daripada kemelut pandemik Covid-19, namun perjalanan masih jauh untuk kita kembali ke masa sebelum darurat iaitu sebelum 11 Januari atau tempoh di mana kita merekodkan kes harian dua angka dan kes kematian harian satu angka.
Semasa darurat diisytiharkan pada 11 Januari 2021 untuk melawan pandemik Covid-19, kita merekodkan 2,232 kes harian baharu Covid-19, dengan jumlah keseluruhan 138,2254 kes, empat kematian direkodkan pada hari itu dengan 555 kes kematian terkumpul berbanding 7,373 kes harian baharu yang dicatatkan semalan, dengan jumlah keseluruhan sebanyak 2,339,594 kes, angka korban sebanyak 64 orang dengan jumlah keseluruhan kematian sebanyak 27,329.
Kali terakhir kita merekodkan kes jangkitan tiga angka adalah pada 8 Disember 2020, ketika itu kita merekodkan 851 kes baharu; kali terakhir kita merekodkan kes dua angka adalah pada 30 September di mana 89 kes direkodkan; kali terakhir kita merekodkan kes satu angka pula adalah pada April tahun ini.
Susulan pengumuman oleh Perdana Menteri, Ismail Sabri Yaakob semalam bahawa perjalanan rentas negeri dibenarkan kepada individu yang lengkap divaksin, Pelan Pemulihan yang diperkenalkan oleh Perdana Menteri sebelum ini nampaknya telah dihentikan.
Pelan Pemulihan Negara yang diumumkan oleh mantan perdana menteri, Muhyiddin Yassin pada 15 Jun itu dibuat sehari sebelum mesyuarat khas Majlis Raja-raja Melayu.
Meskipun penamatan pelan ini selari dengan dasar “Hidup di samping Covid” dan bukannya membasmi sepenuhnya Covid-19 — suatu dasar yang ditegaskan saya sejak April berbeza dengan pendekatan sepenuhnya terhadap pelaksanaan sekatan penuh (total lockdown) — kita harus tetap berjaga-jaga dalam menangani keadaan yang pantas berubah ini kerana masih banyak belum kita ketahui tentang pandemik Covid-19 ini.
Khairy harus mengambil maklum terhadap amaran yang dikeluarkan oleh pakar perubatan:
“Menteri mengambil risiko yang mungkin memakan diri. Beliau nampaknya bergantung sepenuhnya terhadap vaksin, namun kesan vaksin dilihat berbeza-beza di banyak negara dan Singapura, salah sebuah negara dengan kadar vaksinasi tertinggi terjejas teruk selepas dilanda gelombang kedua Covid.
“Keberkesanan vaksin menurun dan menyebabkan ramai yang terdedah kepada virus. Di Singapura, hampir 50% individu yang dimasukkan ke ICU adalah daripada kalangan mereka yang telah divaksin. Apa pun yang terjadi, beliau nampaknya mengambil risiko dan menerapkan dasar ‘hidup di samping Covid’ sama ada pada lewat November atau Disember.”
Persoalannya, bilakah Malaysia akan kembali ke masa sebelum darurat semasa kes harian baharu Covid-19 di negara ini menurun kepada 2,232 kes dan kes kematian harian akibat wabak itu menurun kepada empat kes.
(Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Isnin, 11 Oktober 2021)