The Government is considering relooking at the threshold indicator for new COVID-19 cases set under the National Recovery Plan (PPN), it states that this may be changed to a more appropriate value based on current developments and the situation in the country.
Coordinating Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said a proposal had been raised to the National Security Council to change the threshold value of new cases to the severity of the cases by category, or death rate.
“The PPN is dynamic. If cases have decreased and they are only mild symptomatic cases, the number of new cases is no longer an appropriate threshold value, we will look at the case capacity in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and the mortality rate.” He adds that the issue is being discussed with MOH to a more appropriate threshold especially in the third phase, when at least 40 per cent of the country’s adult population is vaccinnated.
These proposed changes are after experiences in other countries such as the United Kingdom, which recorded a sharp drop in COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions after more than 40 per cent of the population had been vaccinated.
Cases continues to be high in Malaysia, reaching a peak of 15,000 a day however the severity remains low with 98 percent being in the stage 1 and 2 category. Under the National Recovery Plan, cases will have to record below 4000 before sectors can be opened an approach that is now being reconsidered. More than 80 percent of businesses continue to be closed causing massive loses and distress to both the economy and individuals.
Reports released indicates industries at the brink of collapse due to the prolonged lockdown, Ministry of Entrepreneur and Development issued a release calling for a quick solution for the predicament facing thousands of micro and informal businesses who are closing down.
