Let's wear facemask indoors, not outdoors, urges MMA

SHAH ALAM - As the country transitions to the endemic phase today, Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) proposes to do away with the MySejahtera’s check-in feature.

This, its president Dr Koh Kar Chai said was because contact tracing via the app will not be an effective way to manage the spread of Covid-19 infections.

However, Koh said the feature should still remain as part of the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP), as the situation needed to be further analysed.

"As we move out from the pandemic phase, halting the use of the check-in feature on the MySejahtera app for contact tracing should be considered," he told Sinar Daily.

He added that the use of facemasks during the endemic phase should also be reconsidered.

Koh said he was of the opinion that facemasks should be worn indoors when gathering in a large group, but outdoors, with plenty of ventilation, people could take it off.

Yesterday, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin advised the public not to be complacent even though the country is entering the transition to the endemic phase, today.

He had in a tweet said during the transition phase, people should always adhere to the standard operating procedures by wearing a face mask and practice TRIIS (Test, Report, Isolate, Inform, Seek) to prevent the spread of Covid-19 infections.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had earlier this month, announced that the country will enter the Transition to Endemic Phase and will reopen its borders starting April 1.

This, he said was an exit strategy to enable people to return almost to normal life after two years struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic.