The management of this whole pandemic, or “plandemic” as some describe it, has left many questions unanswered
BY ADI SATRIA
THE PANDEMIC as we know it has virtually ended, and we are moving into the endemic stage.
Most restrictions have been lifted. We can all breathe a sigh of relief albeit we must wear masks in public places. The last few Friday and Saturday nights, including before Ramadhan, had seen bad jams in Kuala Lumpur as nightlife sprang back to life. Although in the mornings, the Bukit Bintang area was still a bit quiet with no traffic jams.
It seems office space is still almost empty since the pandemic’s start. It will be some time before tenants, old and new, return to their businesses, with work from home a consequence of the lockdown.
The Pasar Ramadhan everywhere saw crowds of people buying whatever they could as they unleashed their pent-up desire and spent like there was no tomorrow.
Well, at least they survived the pandemic, unlike those who unfortunately did not.
As we continue to see infection numbers in the four figures daily, the number of hospitalisations and deaths continue to be in two figures, which is a sure sign that the worst could be over. Many countries in Europe have finally declared the pandemic over and with the spring and Easter celebrations, life is returning to normal.
But wait, there is now a war raging in Europe. It looks like the business of death never ceases and continues in one shape, form or other. When will political leaders ever learn to finally sit down and talk about saving and enhancing the quality of life for humanity?
Address the glaring question
The management of this whole pandemic or “plandemic” as some chose to describe it, and with good reason, has left many questions unanswered. From the types of vaccines being used, its efficacy, the number of doses and so-called boosters to be administered within a year on a person, to the cost of its acquisition of the vaccines by people responsible for it, have been points of controversy and debate the last two years.
The glaring question is quite simply this – that one can still be infected with Covid-19 despite having the mandatory two vaccine doses and boosters. Worse, we continuously hear of many succumbing to death days after receiving it, not just among those who are comorbid but also among seemingly healthy individuals.
Even a mufti of a state has been seeking answers as to why his healthy father suddenly got a stroke after taking his booster shot and finally passed away in April. He felt that the Ministry of Health (MoH) must seriously investigate the issue of side effects, especially on those who should not be vaccinated.
I know of friends and relatives who face many side effects after receiving their vaccines and boosters, including breathlessness, numbness of the limbs, inflammation of the joints for gout sufferers, etc. The latest is an originating summons in the High Court from a consumer NGO against the former prime minister and 16 other respondents over the handling of the pandemic.
It is so easy for us to check the issues and confirm our doubts with social media. And as an intelligent and analytical person, one cannot dismiss these reports as simply fake news or propaganda to discredit the authorities.
Health and politics and a lucrative mix
One cannot help but conclude that this indicates that this whole episode is a plan to make huge profits on the sufferings of humankind. More transparency and truthfulness must be the authorities’ goal to discuss these issues openly to reduce the scepticism among the public.
The other burning issue is when it comes to the treatment for Covid-19 – is vaccination the only answer? We have also seen proof that many nations have used pills like Ivermectin effectively to control the virus.
Also, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the other eastern remedy that our health authorities refuse to acknowledge or discuss. We should know in the coming months the answers to these burning questions.
After going through several mutations from the deadly Delta variant to the current highly infectious but not so severe Omicron variant, the answer for the cure, if not already available, will be for the world to be more equipped to meet the challenges of new variants of the Covid-19 virus.
As we all realise, health and politics do mix, and it is a lucrative mix for the stakeholders concerned. Thanks to social media, many of us are more well informed to make the right conclusion and decisions.
We have also been promised about drugs that can treat the virus, but we have not seen any sign of these drugs being used. Instead, we continue to be “encouraged” to take the first and second booster shots.
We cannot blame people for being wary and skeptical about this whole scheme of things. And in the light of the relaxation of the restrictions, due to the lower severity and fatal impact of the Omicron variant, most would instead take the risk of being infected and develop their natural immunity.
Studies have shown that natural immunity is far more effective in preventing the severe effects of the virus. We can only hope and pray that with more information within the global medical fraternity, we can handle the situation more effectively.
And we do not have to panic anymore about another May Day situation but instead celebrate May Day as Workers Day and salute their actual contributions to society. — The Health
Adi Satria, a veteran of marketing communications, believes that there are alternative ways of treating any form of disease and not just relying on western methods. Thanks to social media, this pandemic has revealed the amount of misinformation from sources we are supposed to trust. And the way forward is to practice a more informed way of life for a healthier lifestyle.
