Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing
KUCHING (Sept 5): Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing is convinced that a person who has received two-dose vaccines is relatively protected against the impact of Covid-19.
He said he had listened to many talks presented by international experts on the virus and is convinced by their explanation.
“One may still get infected, but with no deadly consequences. In layman term, it is equivalent to the common cold. A few days of rest and the person will recover,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He, however, agreed that certain health standard operating procedures (SOPs) had to be adhered to as people are moving around.
“Malaysians seem to have unfounded fear of Covid-19. We still think of the dangers posed by Covid-19 during the pre-vaccine days. That fear is deeply embedded in our mind; that Covid-19 positive means death.
“This is further worsened by the way in which we highlight the daily number of people infected by Covid-19 without telling them the severity of infection,” he said.
Masing said the asymptomatic people should be discouraged from being swabbed.
He noted that the State Disaster Management Committe (SMDC) had reported in the news recently that 99.85 per cent of those tested positive in Sarawak were in category 1 and 2, which is not life threatening.
Comparison on the rate of hospitalization of unvaccinated and vaccinated Covid-19 patients in 2021.
“Our people do not read newspapers so they fail to understand the data provided and the fear of Covid-19 positive with deadly consequences sticks in their minds.
“I am impressed by the infographic sent to me from Sibu comparing the number of hospitalisation between those who have been vaccinated and those not.
“Perhaps, the state government should use this concept to explain the subject to the people,” he said.
He also believed that with 80 per cent of Sarawakians having been vaccinated, normalcy would return; works, industries, plantations and offices would reopen.
He, however, stressed that stringent SOPs still had to be enforced saying the theme ‘Lindung Diri, Lindung Semua’ was most appropriate.
He added the movement control order (MCO) should be a thing of the past.
“MCO doesn’t kill Covid-19. It slays people. A new study from CDC’s Covid-net shows that unvaccinated people are 17 times more likely to be hospitalised with Covid-19 compared to those who are fully vaccinated.
“Let us learn to live with Covid-19 intelligently,” he said.