BY ADI SATRIA
As the new Prime Minister (PM) took office on Aug 21, 2021, a number of events took place in the country which saw the reopening of businesses. Traffic jams were signs that seem to signal things are going back to normal – albeit still a risky and dangerous situation.
Many of us cannot help feeling this unseen danger as the number of Covid-19 infections does not seem to go down. It has crossed the two million mark, despite the high number of partially and fully vaccinated people in the country.
What is going on? The number of deaths too have touched five figures at more than 22,000 since the outbreak. And talk of declaring the pandemic an endemic in October (whatever that implies) has come from the new Health Minister.
As I write this on Malaysia Day, I hear kids screaming at the swimming pool below. The condo management has opened the pool with strict SOPs in place. I will soon be going down to enjoy my long awaited swim when there is no one around.
During the weekend I was at my friend’s farm in Hulu Yam and was shocked to find the river which runs by the road packed with families enjoying their picnic and dipping in the cool river water.
Viral videos of similar scenes of crowded holiday makers in other parts of Selangor and Malacca sent shivers among netizens at the lack of proper physical distancing being practiced, as they fear that another spike in infections will be inevitable.
Reduce the politicking
So where do we stand on this? They are hoping the new PM, Health Minister and government officials will bring about the desired changes in managing the situation. The opposition party leaders have signed an MOU with the government to work together to solve the pandemic issue and revive the economy.
It is a good move as we must have the chance to help ourselves and our political leaders to reduce the politicking. At least we know that Parliament will not be dissolved before July next year and this will allow us to focus on the key goals.
The whole political landscape will change after that, and we can decide our future then depending on the outcome of the performance of this new arrangement.
Meanwhile we must live with the virus. The SOPs must continue to be practiced. At least now we can travel within Selangor and Kuala Lumpur freely. Langkawi is also opening up with flights and hotels fully booked commencing on Malaysia Day on Sept 16th.
Schools will also reopen, and parents have been given the choice whether to send their kids to school or study from home. The element of uncertainty and risk still lingers on parents’ minds.
As the world continues to debate on the cure for the infected, I personally feel that there is already a protocol to manage it which should focus on early intervention. The debate continues on the use of Ivermectin as a key factor in stopping the virus replication and reduction of the viral load on infected people.
Finding a quick solution
We await the decision of the health authorities on the outcome of clinical tests on Ivermectin on Stage 4 and 5 patients. Nevertheless, the fact remains that those who have taken Ivermectin at the early stage have been cured successfully. This also includes taking vitamins B, C, D3 and zinc to improve and enhance their immune system.
Yet, pharmacies are not allowed to sell Ivermectin, and government doctors are reluctant to prescribe it. As Stage 1 patients are encouraged to undergo home quarantine, there is also no clear protocol if things get worse for the infected.
As a result, cases of BID (brought in dead) seem to have increased daily. The cause of this has not been revealed, let alone how to prevent it from happening
The general call from health activist groups, in particular the Malaysian Association for the Advancement of Functional and Interdisciplinary Medicine (MAAFIM) as well as consumer groups and PATRIOT is for the health authorities to quickly find the solution by learning from successful governments such as state governments in Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Delhi where Covid-19 deaths have almost disappeared, and infections reduced by more than 80 per cent.
Even countries like El Salvador distribute medical packs consisting of zinc, vitamins D3, asprin and Ivermectin to their people as part of measures to combat the pandemic.
We cannot continue to do the same thing and expect changes to happen. It is insane. — The Health
ADI SATRIA, a veteran of marketing communications, and a community activist feels that every disease has a cure. Yet he is frustrated that certain simple protocols are not forthcoming as the campaign to educate the public is not innovative enough and enforcement leaves much to be desired. Vaccination alone is not the answer.
