PUTRAJAYA: With the Health Ministry's projection that Malaysia would achieve zero Covid-19 transmission by July 14 having proven correct, the challenge is now to maintain the level of standard operating procedure compliance among Malaysians.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) through its many stages as well as public compliance over the period has greatly contributed to the flattening of the Covid-19 curve.
However, he expressed concern that as Malaysians gradually return to their regular lives albeit under a new normal, they would become more complacent.
"The projection by the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) was achieved, thanks to the swiftness of the implementation of the MCO to curb the Covid-19 spread and ensure public compliance.
"However, we are concerned that the public may grow lax and return to their old ways.
"The public must ensure that they adhere to the new normal and maintain good hygiene practices even after the MCO is lifted to ensure no new waves of transmission," he told a press conference today.
Dr Noor Hisham said this was especially important after establishing that patients who recover from Covid-19 tend to have a lower immunity percentage than what they should have.
"Recent findings showed that recovered patients immunity percentage stands at about 20 per cent, when it is supposed to be between 60 and 80 per cent.
This, he said, was worrying, as it means a recovered Covid-19 patient would find it easier to become infected again if his or her immunity level did not improve.
"We have seen this in several cases, one of which was from a recovered patient from Sungai Lui, who had an immunity level of 20 per cent when it should have been more than 60," he said.
Dr Noor Hisham reminded the public to be vigilant and not become complacent as it could lead to a new wave of transmissions.
"This depends entirely on us and our level of compliance to the SOP," he said.