PETALING JAYA: With a slight reduction in Covid-19 cases and a huge increase in the number of Malaysians being fully vaccinated, the Klang Valley should be ready to move on to Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (NRP), says several health experts.

       Malaysian Medical Practitioners Coalition Association president Dr Raj Kumar Maharajah said most Covid-19 cases are in Categories 1 and 2, where infected individuals are asymptomatic or have minor symptoms.

       “Even at Hospital Klang or Hospital Sungai Buloh, admission rates and ICU (intensive care unit) rates have reduced, so I think we can move on to Phase Two now that most people have received their full immunisation.”

       Dr Raj Kumar, however, warned Malaysians to be cautious as the Delta variant is causing surges in Covid-19 cases and has led to many cases of hospitalisation, including of even fully vaccinated individuals.

       “So, we must follow the SOP (standard operating procedure) such as physical distancing, double-masking, and sanitising hands. That’s the golden rule,” he said.

       Universiti Malaya’s Department of Social and Preventive Medicine’s Prof Dr Moy Foong Ming said the high vaccination coverage in Klang Valley, which has led to reduced hospitalisation and daily infection figures, was among the reasons the government proposed the transition to Phase Two of the NRP.

       However, she noted that the Covid-19 situation remains fluid at present and said the government should consider transitioning Klang Valley into Phase Two of the NRP only while Covid-19 figures remain in a downward trend and higher vaccination rates are achieved.

       Dr Moy added that the high Covid-19 daily figures were attributed to states with low vaccination rates such as Sabah, Kelantan, and Johor, which had higher infection rates.

       “Strict SOP must be enforced and vaccinations should be accelerated in order to slow down the transmission,” she said.

       Dr Moy stressed that the SOP must be fully complied with at workplaces.

       “Having specific rates of vaccination for a certain percentage of workers working on site and regular testing among workers should be maintained and enforced.

       “Air flow or ventilation should also be monitored or improved by employers,” she said, adding that working from home should be encouraged at all times, if possible.

       On Sunday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government will look into allowing the Klang Valley to transition to Phase Two of the NRP as 89.5% of the adult population here had received their second vaccine dose, which is more than the target of 80%.

       He is set to chair the first meeting of the Special Committee to Address Covid-19 today, where the main issue to be discussed would be on the transition, and also new methods to manage the pandemic.