LETTERS: As the economy gets back on track, we welcome back traffic jams and busy malls in the city.
Shops, restaurants, hotels and resorts, recreation parks and sporting arenas have reopened their doors. Passengers have flocked back to airports to go on a much-needed holiday or to balik kampung. It's a relief that we can come out and go about our activities.
Nonetheless, trying to get back to where we left off may be easier said than done. Every day, we hear and read about people getting infected with the Covid-19 virus.
We also read about the concerns about the Covid-19 infectivity rate
(Rt) that hit 1.0 (last Thursday) as well as the discovery of the Delta Plus variant. It makes one wonder if it is really safe out there. While we
cannot be in hiding forever, life has to go on.
However, we must accept that the standard operating procedures (SOP) are part of our lives and that face masks and sanitiser are our new best friends.
Some tips to support the creation of a safe environment for all:
STRICTLY adhere to the SOP at all times. Mask up, sanitise frequently, check your temperature and scan the MySejahtera app every time and everywhere you go to ease contact tracing;
REFRAIN from going out if you are feeling unwell. Isolate yourself and seek medical treatment;
IF you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive or feels unwell, implement TRIIS (test, report, isolate, inform and
seek);
MAINTAIN the cleanliness of public areas. Do not throw soiled tissue, masks, food wrappers and cigarette butts everywhere. Dispose of them correctly;
IF there is no reason to go out, then it is better to stay at home. Do not expose yourself and your family to risks;
IF you are in the high-risk or vulnerable category, take extra care of yourself; and,
GET vaccinated, and if you are eligible for a booster shot, get them when you receive your appointment.
Let's keep our guard up. Remember the sacrifice of our frontliners who fought against the virus as well as those who died in their battle against Covid-19.
Cynthia Robert Dawayan
Senior lecturer, Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times