Covid-19: Planning for country to move into endemic phase completed, says Hisham

KUALA LUMPUR: The planning for the country to enter the endemic phase of Covid-19 has been completed, says Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

However, the Senior Minister (Defence) said the decision on when the transition will occur is in the hands of the Prime Minister.

“The final decision will be made by the Covid-19 Pandemic Management Special Committee which is chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and involves members of the Opposition as well as health experts.

“We must not sway from our decision to move to the endemic phase. We must move forward,” he said after attending the 12th Quartet Ministers Meeting at Wisma Pertahanan here on Tuesday (Feb 8).

He said the Government was aware that the public was worried about the spike in Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron variant.

“But as we have seen via Health Ministry reports, the number of positive cases is high but intensive care unit bed occupancy is low. This shows that the health system nationwide is still under control and not burdened,” he said.

Hishammuddin added that the economy, education system and livelihoods of the people must continue moving, which is why having large-scale movement control orders like before is not viable now, adding that only localised enhanced MCOs would be imposed.

The quartet of ministries meeting involves the Finance, Health, Defence and Education Ministries.

More to come