A friend messaged me asking if we will see another full movement control order lockdown as Covid-19 cases are spiking.
I said it was highly unlikely but that I expected more targeted enhanced MCOs (TEMCO), including in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, if the upward trend continued.
He said he was fed up with the situation, especially having to think twice before going out. “I’m tired of having to wear a mask, have my temperature taken and using the tracking app on the smartphone each time I enter any premise, whether for food or to purchase something.”
He said his wife was even more worried for, if the MCO were to be enforced, it would mean having to cook more meals, as children tend to eat more when they are housebound.
Another friend pointed to a tweet by health director-general general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in reply to someone else which said: “How about all stay at home for a while again?” This friend is struggling following a salary cut and fears he may lose his job if the situation persists.
Nobody wants to go through another full lockdown. In fact nobody wants to suffer under TEMCO too. But if Covid-19 cases continue rising speedily, we will see more TEMCOs, and more frequently too.
I doubt the government will implement a nationwide MCO again as the impact on the economy would be devastating. Also, the government will face difficulty coming up with money for fresh relief or stimulus packages to help sustain the economy.
On Oct 1, the daily number of cases reported in Malaysia rose to 260, the biggest spike since the recovery MCO came into effect in June. It was the second-highest rise since the pandemic began. Many of the cases involved people returning from Sabah after voting in the Sept 26 election.
That is why it is very important for everyone to heed the words of Dr Noor Hisham to stay home and go out only if it is necessary. He also advised Malaysians, again, to follow all the SOPs diligently, for that is the only way to bring down the infection numbers.
The first MCO, implemented in March helped save many lives but in the process it destroyed or damaged the livelihoods of many others. People are still struggling, despite enjoying SOP-conditioned free movement and despite most businesses getting off the ground again.
We have heard so many industry and business groups complain about the immense losses suffered by their members due to the MCO and subsequent measures to stop the spread of the virus.
The good news, if you can call it good news, is that our situation is still under control compared with some other countries. As at Oct 1, there were 136 deaths and 11,484 cases in the country.
Russia reported 8,945 cases on Oct 1 alone, taking the total number of infections past 1.18 million, with 20,796 deaths. Spain has recorded 31,791 deaths and 769,188 cases.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the worst-hit country is the US with 7,236,485 cases yesterday. India has moved up to second place with 6,312,584 cases while Brazil is in third spot with 4,810,935 cases.
The US again leads when it comes to deaths due to Covid-19, with 206,971 deaths recorded up till yesterday. Brazil, with 143,952 deaths, is in second place while India, with 98,678 deaths, is in third place.
Nearer to home, the Philippines has recorded a total of 314,079 infections and 5,562 deaths up to Oct 1 and Indonesia has 291,182 cases and 10,856 deaths. Singapore has chalked up 57,786 cases with 27 deaths so far.
So, while we can feel a little relieved that our figures are not as bad, we must understand that because the world is so interconnected, as long as the virus is active in any country, we cannot let our guard down.
I have noticed lately that some people are taking it a little easier because our figures have been low. No, we have to be alert at all times because we are up against an unseen enemy which loves human hosts.
The total number of Covid-19 cases in the world on Oct 1 was 34,020,904, larger than our population. The total number of deaths stands at 1,015,049. Think about it: More than one million people dead because of this virus. The most worrying part is that the numbers are rising.
Some experts have predicted that the number of deaths will hit 2 million by the end of the year.
What this means is that we have to get used to wearing masks, leaving our phone numbers at premises we visit, avoiding crowded areas, keeping physical distance and washing our hands thoroughly – for a long while yet.
Scientists are working on a vaccine but we don’t know when we will get one and how safe or effective it will be.
While we should be concerned about the virus, we should not be too fearful, because many people have recovered from Covid-19 infection. In Malaysia, 10,014 people have recovered and worldwide, a total of 23,671,237 people have recovered.
On March 18, after two Malaysians died and we had a total of 673 cases, I warned that we have to brace for a long winter as Covid-19 stalks us. Well, the winter isn’t over; and it won’t be for a long while yet.
So we have to keep taking precautions. Every one of us has to take responsibility for our actions. Otherwise, we’ll make matters worse, leading to the authorities considering implementing another lockdown. Surely, we don’t want that. Remember, we are all in this together.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST DATA ON THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA