Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba. – Bernama
KUALA KANGSAR (Bernama): The Health Ministry is intensifying its "Avoid Close Contact" campaign as a measure to prevent a second wave of Covid-19 infections in the country, says Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.
The Health Minister said it was necessary to educate the public to avoid talking while standing close to each other, as small water droplets are released into the air and could land on others as far as one metre away.
"Currently, the second wave of Covid-19 transmission happening around the world is primarily due to close contact," he told a press conference at the handing over of the Kuala Kangsar Health Clinic (Type 3) project here on Saturday (July 18).
Apart from that, he said, the refusal of Covid-19 patients' close contacts to undergo screening and those returning from abroad who did not know they had been infected were among the factors that could lead to a second wave of the pandemic in the country, but he did not elaborate further.
Meanwhile, Dr Adham said the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry was expected to announce the new price for face masks soon.
He said the new price is likely to take effect from Aug 10, adding that the ceiling price for face masks is currently fixed at RM1.50 each.
He said this when asked if efforts were being made to alleviate the burden of parents who have to provide face masks for their children when going to school.
Dr Adham said the use of face masks was not compulsory in schools as the priority was to maintain social distancing.
He added that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is scheduled to launch the Prevent and Educate, Charity, Comply and Monitor campaign in Pagoh, Johor on Aug 8 to educate the public to be more responsible in protecting themselves, their family and local community from Covid-19 transmission.
He said the campaign is to strengthen the Covid-19 District Risk Reduction Programme aimed to protect green districts to remain free from the pandemic and to convert the yellow districts to green districts within 14 days. – Bernama
