He said Malaysians need to live with Covid-19 and view it as an endemic, just as with other infectious diseases.

“The health ministry and I have stated that we have to learn to live with Covid-19 just like other diseases, including the flu and dengue, and we must carry on with our daily lives while controlling it by complying with the standard operating procedures,” he said.

Ismail made his comment after visiting the Barisan Nasional election machinery in Ledah.

He said restrictions on movement and the closing of economic sectors would burden Malaysians greatly, especially as things were just beginning to return to a state of normality.

“Now that we have reopened the economy, it’s not possible to shut it down again. We know how hard it was for Malaysians when the MCO was enforced … they want to resume their businesses, if we re-enforce the MCO again, they will close shop forever.

“The same goes for movements. We have allowed inter-district, interstate travel … we just haven’t reopened our borders because of the high number of cases abroad, and they (other countries) too would not accept travellers,” he said.

The prime minister, however, said that local enhanced MCO lockdowns would be enforced in a particular locality or block of flats.

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