SOPs contradict, confusing
Published on: Sunday, January 24, 2021
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Credit: freemalaysiatoday.com
When the first MCO was announced there was only one set of rules. Then came CMCO, EMCO and RMCO, each with a different set of rules. The public is now confused and drowning in all these rules/SOPs.
If you check carefully most of the same rules are present in all 3 types of MCO like rojak. This decision by the MOH, government was not really well thought through before being implemented.
We would like to bring to the attention of MKN, MOH and all relevant authorities who set the SOPs during this Covid-19 on especially the following:
The Health Minister recently issued a new circular containing changes in contact tracing and priority for swab test. According to the Health Minister, they no longer test every individual identified as close contact to Covid-19 positive patients and, instead, only test those who show symptoms. Fair enough.
There are those who need to travel interstate by air/road for work related, medical treatment, family matters, etc.
So now, why then make it mandatory for ONLY those travelling interstate by flight where the flight time is only max 2.5hour to do swab test within 3 days before travel date.
This is in stark contrast to those who travel by road on longer journey time (more than 3hours) where passengers on a bus/car are NOT REQUIRED to do any swab test at all. Contradicting SOP for travellers. Why?
Currently the validity of the swab test result is only valid for a short time - within 3 days before air travel departure ONLY. This is a real burden and time consuming for the rakyat who need to travel for short period say 3 to 5 days by flight. We have to perform one test before we fly domestic flight then do another test within 3 days for our return trip.
This is really so costly. Paying for air ticket, then swab test twice for return journey. In fact imposing on rakyat to do the swab test when they have no symptoms does not confirm or prove anything. Going to the clinic to do the swab test alone can expose us to danger of contracting Covid-19.
If at all it is being implemented it should be a fair implementation whether by road or by air. Why can’t the first swab test be valid for at least 7 or 10 days to ease the travelling burden on public.
But why impose this rule when you have a new ruling that only person that show symptoms need to do swab test. Contradicting again.
We can contract the virus from anywhere, while on the streets, don’t have to be only during a flight. Amazing if this virus can differentiate between an air and road journey or even between certain times of the day when we are allowed to move around.
Then, there is this mandatory requirement to get PDRM’s approval for interstate travel. When MCO 2.0 was announced most of the PDRM staff themselves were not even aware of the actual procedures and gave contradicting statements to the public making us go on a merry go round.
Only one staff at PDRM KKIA, gave the correct procedure and documents needed and advice to go to the nearest PDRM station in case one needs to travel interstate. There should not be such a thing as to only one particular PDRM station that can issue the approval as what we were told at one of the PDRM stations.
At the present moment, the fight against this pandemic is controlled and dictated mostly by the Federal Government with MOH, especially the DG who usually takes the lead.
It looks like there is very little coordination between the relevant authorities. We hope MOH/MKN/Government and all those who coordinate in implementing SOPs will look into this and be fair in standardising the SOPs and coordinate better.
Hopefully it’s not a case of only when Politicians/VIPs complain or get caught breaking the SOPs then the SOPs change to the benefit of the Politician/VIPs.
Whatever plans announced should give the public confidence that our MOH and Government are serious in executing the fight against Covid-19 without collapsing our economy.
Lastly, I hope the government remembers when formulating SOPs that every kind of job or business, is in fact Essential to the respective person doing it as it puts food on their table.
Fed up citizen
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