PETALING JAYA: Despite the constant reminders about Covid-19 risks, some Malaysians and organisations are unfortunately becoming blase about the illness.
Manufacturing executive Mohd Nazrin Ruslin, 29, shared his experience about a colleague who was infected.
“I did not suspect anything amiss up until we were instructed to head home that afternoon. Later that evening, the company informed us that our colleague tested positive and had actually undergone a RT-PCR test earlier that morning.
“I was rather appalled as the company should have had the person isolated, at least until the results were known,” he said, adding that the individual should also be responsible enough to have done so.
As for Albert, who declined to give his full name, the engineer found out about the extent of Covid-19 cases at his workplace only after he reported his own infection.
“I experienced symptoms for a few days before taking a self-test and found myself to be positive.
“Upon reporting, I was shocked when my manager revealed that 80% of my colleagues had actually tested positive within the last week,” he said, adding that he had thought the absence of staff was due to them going on annual leave.
Later that evening, he said that his manager eventually created a list, detailing those who tested positive within the company and shared it with the team.
Another engineer who gave his name only as Chew, spoke of a friend’s workplace which had refrained from reporting positive cases due to the fear of being ordered to temporarily cease operations.
“It is a production company. Each day of having to close for sanitisation or Covid-19 tests would mean that revenue would be lost.
“So, when my friend tested positive, he was told not to report it to the Health Ministry. He was told to just quarantine on his own,” he claimed.
The incident, he said, occurred during the early days of the pandemic in 2020.
There were also those who chose not to disclose their infection to avoid getting other people worried.
A freelance worker, who gave his name as Brian, said he did not disclose his Covid-19 status so as not to alarm others in his household.
“This happened last year. I took a self-test and found that I was positive. But I was staying with my aunt and her mentally-challenged son at that time, so I refrained from informing them as they were already in an emotionally fragile state.
“Fortunately, my room had a bathroom connected so I just stayed in for 14 days,” he said.
He asked the domestic helper to send food to him during the period and told everyone he was not feeling well.
A marketing manager known as Raj, 34, said he knew of a close family friend who tested positive but declined to inform anyone except his own family.
“He decided to just quarantine at home. We only found out when his family member told us about it later,” he said.
A financial executive known as Tan, 27, spoke about her cousin who was infected last month.
“Thinking that it was a false result, she continued going about her activities as she was not experiencing symptoms.
“Several days later, she began having headaches and chest pains before taking another test which showed she was positive,” she said, adding that her cousin did not report the result on MySejahtera but instead quarantined herself at a rented property.
When Tan eventually found out about it, she reprimanded her cousin for being irresponsible.
An individual who declined to be named said his friend’s father went ahead with his meetings with clients despite testing positive on a self-test kit.
“Similarly, when my friend informed his own superior regarding his close contact status due to the situation, he was still requested to work as usual from the office,” she claimed, adding that this happened last month.
The Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act outlines the punishment for those who refuse to furnish information as required under the law.
However, many others are completely honest about their situation.
Media executive Wan Mohamad Fawwaz Wan Mohd Fadzlullah, 24, said he immediately reported his case to the bosses and all those in close contact with him.
“First, I updated my status on MySejahtera since it had the contact tracing feature so I could alert those in the same proximity as me.
“I then called my parents. I also informed my neighbours so they could check on me as I am living alone,” he said.
Despite being on medical leave, he was thankful that his colleagues and superiors were understanding of the situation and even allowed him to resume working remotely for a week after completing his quarantine period.
Assistant administrative officer Nadhwah, 26, who tested positive recently, said: “I promptly told my colleagues, friends and those who I met over the weekend before testing once again at home and isolating myself in my brother’s room.”
She also made sure she updated her status on MySejahtera twice daily.