Saifuddin shared today his experience of the critical moments while receiving treatment at Sungai Buloh Hospital for Covid-19. He said he suffered shortness of breath after his oxygen reading dipped to a dangerously low level of 70%.
“The point is: do not mess with Covid-19. I was one of the lucky ones to be warded in the Sungai Buloh Hospital for 16 days. For five days, I was in the observation ward and then one morning, my oxygen level was low at 70% and I had shortness of breath.
“It was a critical time. The nurse sat next to me for half an hour to advise me how to breathe properly.
“We feel we know how to breathe because we have lived a long time but there is a hollow intake, full intake and half intake. My oxygen level improved or else I would have been taken to the intensive care unit.
“I was discharged (from hospital) on the second day of Hari Raya, and yes, my lungs are affected,” he said, admitting that he tires easily due to the infection.
Saifuddin was relating his experience to the media after a handing-over ceremony of the Music Digital Content Fund (DKD Muzik) amounting to RM6 million to 960 Malaysian music activists held online, today.
He said apart from being vaccinated, individuals also need to ensure a strong immune system to fight against the virus.
Saifuddin said that before being infected on April 29, he planned to receive the vaccine with media practitioners by following all SOPs but now he could not be with media practitioners to receive the vaccine because he has to wait for a suitable date after being infected.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said the ministry of communications and multimedia together with Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), the Malaysian national news agency and National Film Development Corporation, Malaysia is continuing to channel various content related to Covid-19 to educate the public with regard to the pandemic.
“Now the focus is on the east coast which seems to have less vaccine response. RTM Radio, in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang, plays a role in helping the community in terms of vaccine registration and vaccination campaigns. We have to do whatever it takes because we want to achieve the goal of vaccinating the people,” he said.
Of the RM6 million handed over to DKD Muzik under the Hiburan Dari Rumah programme, he said the fund would provide allocations to old and new recording artistes, entertainment club singers and musicians, buskers and nasyid groups to produce creative content of various genres.
He added that the ministry was concerned about the plight of artistes, especially with the implementation of the total lockdown starting today until June 14 and efforts would be intensified to help lighten the group’s burden.
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