With COVID-19, we’ve made it to the life raft. Dry land is far away.
– Marc Lipsitch, epidemiologist
For two long years, our resilience has been tested.
On March 13 2020, Sarawak recorded its first COVID-19 case. On March 18, Malaysia was placed under lockdown.
The majority of us would never have ever imagined that we would literally be locking ourselves up. Life as we knew it would come to a grinding halt by a virus originating from Wuhan, China.
As I am sure you have as well in the past, I have watched various movies about viruses and pandemics, sometimes with zombies thrown in.
However, I never thought a pandemic would actually happen. Fortunately, there have been no reports of zombies to date.
As I was actively involved in organising blood donations campaigns three times a week at the Malaysian Red Crescent Miri branch, I had to drive there. It was surreal while driving, seeing empty roads, closed offices and shops; hardly anyone could be seen along the way.
COVID-19 has infected 3.8 million Malaysians so far. The lives of many loved ones were cut short, with more than 33,000 deaths.
The economic impact worldwide has been staggering. We in Sarawak have not been spared.
However, it must be recognised that the Sarawak government led by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has made tremendous efforts to cushion all the negative impacts of the pandemic.
These efforts have covered many aspects of our lives, such as support for the vaccination and healthcare programmes, financial aid for eligible individuals and business operators, and discounts on utilities and assessment rates.
To further mitigate the pandemic impact, 75.8 per cent of Sarawakians have been vaccinated with two doses, and 54.6 per cent have received their booster dose.
After having to go through all the lockdowns, many versions of SOPs, the two doses of vaccines and a third dose living with COVID-9 is not what we want or want to read or hear. Now there is talk of a fourth dose,
I am sure many of us expected to have a safe exit from this COVID-19 nightmare. There are various exit plans related to economic recovery to help our economy and people get back on our feet and are now well in progress.
In fact, from April 1, the restrictions currently imposed on business operating hours will be abolished as part of the exit plan. Our borders will also open up.
However, in terms of protecting us from the CPVID-19 virus, it is still status quo. Currently, there is no lasting or more effective vaccine or more effective medicine to cure infected people, So there is no safe exit plan from the virus itself.
That is why we still need to be vigilant even during this endemic stage. Do not be lulled into complacency during this stage, thinking everything is getting better. The disease is still there and just as potentially harmful if we get infected.
Nowadays, it is common to hear the statement, “it is not a matter of if you will be infected with COVID-19 virus, but rather it is a matter of time that you will be infected”.
In fact, now that it has infected so many people we know, there seem to be no more stigmas attached to getting infected by the disease.
It is even common to hear that people who have found themselves positive after their home RTK test do not report it to the health authorities. They either just self-isolate or carry on going about their daily lives.
The ongoing spread of the various COVID-19 variants will continue to impact our lives.
But do take heart; I am still confident that human ingenuity will eventually develop better vaccines to prevent us from getting the virus and medicines that can cure those who get infected. There are already reports of better vaccines and drugs in the pipeline.
Although we all wish for this nightmarish scenario to be over and want our lives to get back to normal, we are not yet there. In terms of the health risk, it is still not over.
Most of us have made it through these harsh two years. Some have made it through relatively unbruised. Some have come out bruised and still struggling. Sadly 1,659 Sarawakians succumbed to the virus and never made it.
Our resilience is still being tested, and we still need to move on during this challenging endemic stage of the pandemic.
Let’s persevere and carry on keeping each other safe.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
