Page 6 - Berita Sunway - Issue 69

ON THE COVER

NAVIGATING

THE NEW NORMAL IN HEIGHTENED HYGIENE

AWARENESS AND
COVID-19 Moving forward, there will be greater hygiene
SOCIAL DISTANCING

awareness among the people, particularly in
hand washing and not touching one’s face,
as well as new norms of social distancing
and mask-wearing in public, said Sunway
Medical Centre, clinical services COO Dr
Ang Kong Hui.
J ust a year ago, terms like social As of July 28, more than 16.6 million people had When the RMCO is lifted, Malaysians should
contracted COVID-19 in 188 territories, with over
and
distancing,
quarantine
not let their guard down but continue to
handwashing were unheard of in
656,000 succumbing to the disease. In Malaysia, more
daily conversations and in public life. than 8,900 people have contracted COVID-19, with 124 practise these new habits to create a safe
deaths. environment for everyone, advised Ang.
Life as we knew it changed overnight
on March 11, when the WHO officially Governments began imposing varying levels of “Currently there is no cure and even if there
classified the COVID-19 coronavirus quarantines and lockdowns in a bid to stem the spread was a vaccine, the virus can always mutate
infection as a pandemic - a worldwide of the virus through social distancing. to become more virulent. A vaccine can help
spread of a new disease. in prevention, but we cannot be sure how
On March 18, the Malaysian government introduced many will be immune to a more virulent
Movement Control Order (MCO) in response to strain of the virus,” he explained.
COVID-19, which prohibited movement and mass Given that some COVID-19 infected persons
assembly nationwide. International and domestic are asymptomatic, Ang underlined the
travels were barred, and all government and private importance of Malaysians maintaining the
premises were closed, save for essential services. necessary precautions of mask-wearing,
good hand hygiene and social distancing
To date, the MCO has been extended five times, with to protect others and themselves from
the latest Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) the coronavirus. "Even more importantly,
implemented from June 10 to August 31 - a “soft- it is about safeguarding those who are
landing” approach to safeguard the lives of Malaysians immunocompromised, including the very
as well as to gradually kickstart the nation’s economic young and the elderly," said Ang.
activity.
Currently, Sunway Medical Centre
Under the RMCO, Malaysia’s economic, social, encourages prospective patients and visitors
educational, and religious sectors were progressively to fill up a simple online questionnaire
reopened with the government continuing close on their travel backgrounds and personal
surveillance and monitoring of new COVID-19 cases. health details on their mobile phones to
minimise time spent in physical queues at
Interstate-travel restrictions have been relaxed under the hospitals.
the RMCO (see Page 14 & 15 on travel with confidence)
but international borders remain closed for the time "Visitors are also required to scan QR codes
being. for contact tracing via the app developed
by the medical centre. Besides thermal
With no vaccine in sight, cameras at the entrance of hospitals, AI
COVID-19 will continue technology is in place to capture face mask
to change the way Looking at the compliance within the hospital premises.
we live every day, number of COVID-19 We have teleconsultation
as we adopt “the infected cases that the MOH services and we are looking
new normal” to has published, people should have at ways to expedite online
avoid contracting confidence to face the new normal patient registrations and
the virus. without fear. However we should be online appointments to
vigilant and not let our guard down avoid crowding in waiting
until a safe, effective vaccine is areas," said Ang.
available, the protective practices
that we have learned over the
past few months continue Dr Ang Kong Hui,
to protect us. Sunway Medical
Centre, Clinical
Services COO

6 | BERITA SUNWAY | JUL—SEP 2020