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SEREMBÁN: A year has passed since Covid-19 affected countries around the world and when the crisis will end, it is still fraught with uncertainty. In Malaysia there are no signs of a decline in the number of positive cases, and as the pandemic progresses, some people are growing weary of the new rule and taking no precautions to protect themselves.
Perhaps some assume they are immune to Covid-19 or have security fatigue or exhaustion, that they are throwing caution to the wind?
The medical director of the Specialist Clinic of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), Dr. Mohd Radzniwan A. Rashid, said that “pandemic fatigue” could be one of the factors that cause some people to lower their guard to stop the transmission of the Covid-19.
“Fatigue is driven by the various phases of the Movement Control Order (MCO) implemented by the government since March last year. When it was first applied, people were generally excited to work together to flatten the Covid-19 curve.
“However, since September last year with travel between states more relaxed, coupled with the Sabah state elections, there has been an increase in positive cases. People got tired because it seems that the pandemic has no end, ”he told Bernama here recently.
On January 16, Malaysia’s daily cases surpassed 4,000 for the first time in 4,029 since the pandemic struck the country. As of Thursday, there were 42,814 active cases with the death toll now at 660.
At one point, the country managed to flatten the infection curve, reducing transmission of the virus in the community. So what had gone wrong with our strategy?
According to the professor at the USIM School of Medicine and Health Sciences, lack of self-control is the main factor leading to the increase in local infections.
“Currently, some are governed by standard operating procedures (SOPs), but others are not. Why? This is because some are overwhelmed by having to maintain a constant vigilance state and being reminded to observe physical distancing, wearing a mask, etc., is exhausting.
“Some may be getting bored of staying home so long. Although certain rules have been relaxed, since they are now allowed to continue with their leisure, business and other activities, these privileges are being abused, ”he said.
Although videos showing the condition of Covid cases and front-line people battling the disease previously circulated widely on social media during the first OLS, they had helped raise public awareness, they are no longer effective.
Have we forgotten the severity of the illness of patients and the hard work and sacrifice of healthcare workers and leaders in the fight against Covid-19?
Dr. Mohd Radzniwan said the recent increase in positive cases was also due to the community’s willingness to continue to comply with the restrictions.
He said that in the early stages of MCO implementation, people were concerned and closely followed the development of the Covid situation, including sharing information and videos on social media that they were afraid to leave their homes.
“But today they are indifferent, the consequences of getting Covid-19 and the risks do not seem real to them. Our concern is the asymptomatic cases that go unnoticed and we cannot say who these silent spreaders are, ”he said.
University of Malaya (UM) Senior Consultant Psychiatrist Adjunct Professor Dr. Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin, who shares Dr. Mohd Radzniwan’s view that pandemic fatigue had led to public non-compliance with the PCOS, added that the indifferent attitude of certain parts had also caused anger and frustration among the community.
When asked if there is a different set of laws for leaders and the man in the street, the Vice President of the Congress of the Malaysian Academic Association (MAAC), Professor Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, said that people should be smart not to follow in the footsteps of leaders who don’t. show good examples.
“Why should they follow them? People need to understand the motto kita jaga kita, so take care of each other. Politicians cannot be emulated as long as they do not have integrity, “he said, although he agreed that the biased action of the authorities has also contributed to the sudden increase in cases.
“There should be no discrimination … action should be taken if one has committed a crime regardless of whether the person is a minister.
“If only people are punished, eventually they will not respect the law and the situation will get worse,” he said, adding that to control the virus, leaders and people must be united in adhering to the POEs.
“The problem is that there is too much politicking. The virus can affect anyone, regardless of who they are, and various leaders and ministers have tested positive for Covid-19. ” -Called
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