Dr Sim: S’wak supports Putrajaya’s decision to not return to MCO despite surge in Covid-19 cases

KUCHING (Dec 19): Sarawak supports the decision by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad not to return to movement control order despite the rise in Covid-19 cases, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.

He said lessons from the previous Covid-19 experience indicated the current surge is not the peak yet and the five-point strategy prepared by the Ministry of Health to deal with the recent spike in Covid-19 cases in the country must be put into practice.

This includes early case detection via the Heightened Alert System; community tracing via TRIIS (test, report, isolate, inform and seek) system; monitoring of health facilities; effective risk communication; and digitisation of the health system via the MySejahtera app.

“This stage of endemic is to live with the virus and the five points strategy (prepared by the MoH),” he said in a post on social media.

Meanwhile, Dr Dzulkefly at a press conference in Petaling Jaya on Monday said the present Covid-19 situation is not causing a burden on the country’s health facilities.

He had also said all health facilities nationwide are ready for any eventualities, as he revealed that 20,696 cases were reported nationwide from Dec 10-16 — a sharp increase of 62.2 per cent compared with the previous week.

On a related matter, Dr Sim advised those in the high-risk groups to get a second booster dose (fourth dose).

The Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister said Sarawak’s second Covid-19 booster vaccination rate is only at 3.6 per cent, or 101,167 recipients.

He also said the state Health Department has assured the free oral medication, Paxlovid, is available at any public or private healthcare facility in Sarawak.

“If (you tested) positive, get the free oral Paxlovid as early as possible for it to be most effective to prevent severe symptoms,” he said.