KJ: Always be on guard

PUTRAJAYA: As global Covid-19 infections continue to rise with the Delta variant wreaking the most damage, Malaysia is shifting its focus to reducing the number of deaths and hospitalisations, and case figures will not be paramount anymore.

National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin said with Delta, vaccination remained vital as it had brought down the number of deaths and hospitalisations.

Putting on masks and observing physical distancing will continue as the variant is easily transmissible.

“I think we have to accept that with the rise of the Delta variant, Covid-19 will become more endemic, or rather, it’s out there in the community,” said Khairy.

As such, he said Malaysia would have to continue vaccinations with other public health measures.

“It’s very important that, even though we are fully vaccinated, we continue to practise non-pharmaceutical interventions like mask wearing, ventilation, physical distancing, as well as having good personal hygiene.

“This is because we know the variant is highly transmissible and we have to ensure that even if you are vaccinated, you continue to practise stringent SOP,” he said at the weekly Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force press conference.

“Moving forward, case numbers may still be high.

“The key numbers that we need to be looking out for are the death rate and utilisation of intensive care unit beds. We hope this will come down. That’s going to be the next indicator,” he added.

Khairy said many countries had reversed their decision to allow citizens to discard the wearing of masks.

“Even if we are fully vaccinated, we must not drop our guard... especially in indoor settings,” he said.

This will most likely be the case in Malaysia for quite some time too, added the Science, Technology and Innovation Minister.

Khairy said Labuan and Sarawak – the two states that had vaccinated most of its population – had seen a reduction in the number of hospitalisations and deaths.

“We hope to see this happening in the next few weeks in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor as well,” said Khairy.

In Singapore, where the Delta variant has sparked a rise in infections, vaccinated patients displayed either mild or no symptoms.

“It is very important to get vaccinated,” said Khairy.

He was commenting on a recent study by the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which suggested that vaccinated people could still spread Covid-19.

On the government’s plan to allow some SOP relaxations for the fully vaccinated, Khairy said it was important not to make drastic moves, adding that the Prime Minister would announce the privileges soon.

“It is important to ensure that we do not open up too quickly,” he said.