As the country's economy rapidly opens up and more states move up the National Recovery Plan's phasal ladder, life, it seems, is quickly going back to normal.
Save for one thing: Covid-19 is still with us. And, there are still a lot of people dying from it. But, with the country set to enter the endemic stage next month, there is unlikely to be a reversal on activities anymore.
The cynical may say that from now on, it is a matter of sink or swim — every man for himself. But, though it seems counter-intuitive to open up so wholeheartedly while the death toll is still alarming high, addressing the economics of life is an acknowledgment that Covid-19 is not the only way to die, just as Covid-19 is not the only thing to survive from.
However, with an average Covid-19 death toll of one jumbo-jet-load per day, it is undeniable that Covid-19 is still the multi-fold main cause of death in Malaysia. So, we should ask ourselves: Is this it? Where do we go from here?
The only thing that can frustrate Covid-19 is a person that has been fully vaccinated and observing all the health protocols.
And even though the government's efforts to educate and persuade people to get vaccinated have been fairly successful up to now, the fact is that the National Immunisation Programme has now hit that massive hurdle that will be much harder to overcome: Anti-vaxxers and the vaccine-hesitant. The government's strategy so far has been to elicit cooperation through education and persuasion. But, at some point, the government has to consider what to do with the staunch anti-vaxxers, for whom the carrot approach of giving privileges to the vaccinated has not worked.
For the sake of collective prosperity, the only way we can stay ahead of the virus is by ensuring that fewer people end up in hospital with severe Covid. But, for that to happen, everyone, save those who have a valid medical excuse, must be vaccinated.
The aim of any democracy is to have a small government. However, sometimes, the government must be entrusted to step in and act in loco parentis to decide for the citizenry what is best for the citizen and the entire community.
If anti-vaxxers cannot be persuaded with carrots, the government must acquaint them with the stick by introducing some form of vaccine mandate.
Would it be too evil to enforce laws that are for the good of the people? Of course not; that's why the wearing of seat belts and safety helmets while using motorised vehicles is compulsory. And there is already a precedent for vaccine mandates, albeit on a smaller scale: Food handlers in Malaysia are required to be vaccinated against Typhoid.
But, although it would be legally complicated, the government has to find a way to bite the bullet and be mean now by limiting the choices for the unvaccinated.
In Germany, children who are not up-to-date on all their vaccines are not permitted to attend school. Likewise, adults and vaccine-eligible children in Malaysia should be locked out of offices and schools.
Yes, it is harsh. But, we are still racing against time to vaccinate everyone. We cannot be doing this battle against anti-vaxxers with each subsequent booster jab. Everyone has to be on-board.