THE government has declared that we are moving into a transition to endemic phase and is gradually lifting restrictions as have many other countries.
However, the World Health Organisation has repeatedly expressed caution that “endemic” does not necessarily mean better or milder and that the pandemic is not over yet.
New variants of concern may emerge and some may have a greater ability to evade the protection that vaccines currently offer.
We must learn from other countries that have removed most restrictions, especially the mask mandate.
The experiences from Europe and the UK are of concern. When restrictions, including the mask mandate, were lifted hospitalisations rose, especially among children.
There is also a growing body of evidence that speaks about the serious effects of long Covid and the long-term health impacts of getting a Covid-19 infection, even for those who are vaccinated.
While vaccination reduces the risk of long Covid by approximately 50%, it does not remove it completely.
Long Covid can be devastating and many scientists now speak of the burden of disability that will come with this pandemic.
Our movement to an endemic phase with the relaxation of restrictions and less testing, has made many Malaysians relax their guard.
We see more domestic tourism, large groups eating together and packed bazaars.
It is likely that we will see a significant increase in the number of cases and hospitalisations in the coming weeks, spreading of the virus is likely happening now.
Children under five years old, who cannot currently be vaccinated, and children aged five to 11, who have yet to be vaccinated, may be the ones who will be most affected in the next wave.
We can see this in the increased number of deaths of children in the recent wave and the huge number of school clusters occurring now.
In addition, the elderly, disabled and those with chronic illnesses (comorbidities) who have yet to receive a booster shot will be at higher risk of hospitalisation and death. Every death due to Covid-19 is a tragedy and possibly avoidable.
Behind every death are eight to 10 or more grieving family members and relatives.
The death of a child due to Covid-19 is an unimaginable trauma for parents and families as they are often scarred for life.
I would ask that we move forward cautiously. We must constantly review the data and anticipate the impact of what is coming.
For example, the Omicron sub-variants are harmful to children under 10 years old, which can be seen from Hong Kong and UK data.
We must continue to protect children and vulnerable adults, and we must do this together as a community.
We must not remove our mask mandate. In fact, the data supports that we should upgrade our face mask quality, including for children.
We should all be using reliable (not fake) FFP2/KF94 masks. We need to use masks in all indoor facilities, public transport and at any crowded outdoor venue.
Please remember that, while vaccinations have helped extensively, the Covid-19 pandemic and its ongoing harmful effects have yet to come to an end. We have just come out of one wave and will soon be in another.
Datuk Dr Amar-Singh HSS
Consultant Paediatrician
