Around The World Lifting Lock Down Has Seen Corona Spike Agaian

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First here are some headlines from around the world.  These are reports of Corona Virus cases spiking again after the lockdowns were lifted.

COVID-19: Panic As Ghana Records 60 Per Cent Increase In Cases After Lifting Lockdown- 1 May 2020https://secure.saharareporters.com/2020/05/01/covid-19-panic-ghana-records-60-cent-increase-cases-after-lifting-lockdown

Japanese island hit by second coronavirus wave after lockdown lifted ‘too early -30 April 2020https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/30/japanese-island-hit-second-coronavirus-wave-lockdown-lifted-12632163/?ito=cbshare

Coronavirus: Germany's rate of COVID-19 infections grows after lockdown eased -28 April 2020https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-germanys-rate-of-covid-19-infections-grows-after-lockdown-eased-11980194

Europe struggles to exit lockdown: Germany sees rise in infections amid fears it may have to restrict freedoms again, France warns of 'knife edge' between saving lives and the economy and Spain reveals strategy amid rising deaths- 29 April 2020https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8269107/Germany-sees-rate-infection-increase-easing-lockdown.html

Covid-19: Infections could rise by 10% per day after lockdown lifts – top scientist – 1 May 2020https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/covid-19-infections-could-rise-by-10-per-day-after-lockdown-lifts-top-scientist-20200501

Ending coronavirus lockdowns will be a dangerous process of trial and error -14 April 2020https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/ending-coronavirus-lockdowns-will-be-dangerous-process-trial-and-error

China is on a knife edge between recovery and another wave of coronavirus cases- 10 April 2020https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/10/asia/china-korea-singapore-coronavirus-second-wave-intl-hnk/index.html

Lockdowns can't end until Covid-19 vaccine found, study says – 9 April 2020https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/08/lockdowns-cant-end-until-covid-19-vaccine-found-study-says


Here in Malaysia the states of Sarawak and Kedah have announced that they WILL NOT be lifting the lockdown beginning tomorrow Monday 4th May, 2020. Sabah is also doing some rethinking.

Before I say further, this raises the question - How does our country Malaysia function - from a legal and Constitutional point of view ?

I know there are such things as State's rights and jurisdictions over certain matters (land, water, Islam and business licenses are State matters) plus Sabah and Sarawak have the Malaysia Agreement but n'theless in a situation of national crisis (such as a pandemic) can the States opt NOT TO obey the Federal Government?

So why do we need a Federal Government at all?

The consolation is that Kedah, Sabah and Sarawak want to prolong the MCO.
They do not want to end it so soon.

But at the same time the numbers are erratic. Yesterday Saturday 2/5/2020 saw 105 new cases against 116 discharged. There were no deaths. Of the 105 new cases, 11 were 'kes impot'. Folks who came back from overseas?

It would be more comforting if the new cases were in the low two-digits.

Since the Rohingyas are all afraid to go out (their market stalls have been destroyed) the virus is now spreading among them as well (in Selayang). The Rohingyas live in cramped apartments often more than five people per small apartment. Just like the virus spreading in the foreign workers dormitories in Singapore I fear the same is going to happen with the Rohingyas in Selayang.

Please look at those news headlines above. That Ghana story is a bit worrying as well. After they lifted their lockdowns their cases spiked by 60% in 10 days.

My suggestion for Malaysia would be to stick to the original schedule of May 12th?
It is just a few more days. Another week. I hope the numbers can go down further.

Thank you to the Majlis Keselamatan Negara for sending me their frequent updates (via SMS) about the MCO. 

But the messages are sometimes confusing - especially over the past 24 hours.

At 1:28 PM yesterday I received the following SMS from the MKN :

"RM0 PKP masih dilanjutkan sehingga 12 Mei 2020. Kelonggaran PKPB hanya diberikan kepada sektor perkhidmatan yang dibenarkan dengan perlu mematuhi SOP."

Then at 7:43 PM yesterday I received this SMS from the MKN :

"RM0 PKPB - Tindakan undang undang akan diambil terhadap mereka yang ingkar PKP walaupun bermula 4 Mei hampir semua aktiviti perniagaan dibenarkan beroperasi."

So which one is which? Plus now Sarawak, Kedah and possibly Sabah are saying they will relook uplifting the MCO.

Here is another suggestion. Since the people have been quarantined at home for the past 40+ days is it necessary for us to do a Covid Test before returning to work?

If people have already been in quarantine at home for so long and have not developed any symptoms (remember the incubation period is 14 days)  just let them get back to work first.

This morning my son left home before 7 am to get tested. When he reached the clinic there were already 50 people waiting in the queue outside the clinic. He is still there.

You see even if everyone gets tested negative today, they can still catch the virus thereafter.

Folks, there seems to be no real solution to this.
Or one perfect way of handling this corona virus.
The whole thing is quite unprecedented.

Whatever it is perhaps more consultation is needed - at a much faster pace.
And clear, concise communication is needed from the government. 
This we can still do - it is under our control.
Posted by Syed Akbar Ali 

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