PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will be ready to roll out its Covid-19 exit strategy phase once the number of daily new cases dropped below the current double-digit trend.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this would be a prerequisite for more sectors to resume their operations, albeit with stricter standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place.
He said maintaining a lower number of cases was possible if the country continue to monitor and implement measures to curb Covid-19 infection under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).
He said these measures, included those monitoring the country's borders. He also stressed the need for existing SOPs to be followed even after more sectors were allowed to operate.
"We need to continue with monitoring and implementation (of SOPs) while these other sectors are allowed to resume operations.
"If we are able to uphold our monitoring and continue to reduce the number of cases to a two- and single-digit figure, then that is when we will be ready to roll out the exit strategy.
"This is what we consider as a soft landing, and Malaysians have been showing model behaviour by adhering to the Covid-19 SOPs.
"Like today (Tuesday), we only recorded 20 positive cases and 15 of them were imported cases. There are only five local transmission cases.
"If we maintain this with no further increases in the post-Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration period, and if we continue with single or double-digit figures for cases, then other sectors will be allowed to reopen with monitoring," he said at his daily press conference at the Health Ministry here today.
On May 8, Dr Noor Hisham said the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) is a soft landing approach imposed by the government before the country could enter its exit strategy for Covid-19.
The CMCO, which was enforced on May 4, allowed certain economic sectors such as construction to operate. The CMCO is expected to end on June 9.
On a related issue, Dr Noor Hisham said he has raised concerns over foreign workers' adherence of Covid-19 SOPs during the National Security Council meeting.
"During the meeting, it was decided that an existing committee will monitor the foreign workers' adherence towards the standard operating procedures with the Health Ministry's guideline.
"If Malaysians and the foreign workers continue to follow the SOP, it will break the Covid-19 chain of infection," he said.
When asked about widespread trade activities during the CMCO and how it could potentially violate certain SOPs while derailing efforts to contain Covid-19, Dr Noor Hisham said it was important for businesses to review aspects of their activities to prevent the spread of the virus.
He said that while promotions and sales were encouraged to invigorate the economy, SOPs to curb Covid-19 have to be followed.
"They possibly need to relook at how their business to adjust to the pandemic." he said.