PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia should learn from other countries before it decides to relax on-going restrictions for people who have completed their Covid-19 vaccinations.

Health deputy director-general (Research and Technical Support) Datuk Dr Hishamshah Mohd Ibrahim said European Union member countries and Israel, which had eased restrictions and allowed social activities to resume after recording high vaccination rates, are now seeing an increase in daily cases.

"We need to learn lessons from these countries.

"People who received two doses of the vaccine are more protected from suffering severe symptoms associated with Covid-19. 

"The decision to ease restrictions and provide some flexibility (of the standard operating procedures) for people who have been fully vaccinated should not be made in a rush (hastily) or prematurely," he said in a press conference today.

Earlier in the same press conference deputy health director-general (Public Health) Datuk Dr Chong Chee Kheong said the rising trend in daily Covid-19 cases which hit an all-time high of 20,596 yesterday was due to a cumulative effect from about a month ago.

Also a contributing factor was the prevalence of highly contagious Covid-19 variants such as the Delta variant.

"After taking into consideration the incubation period of the virus, the rising trend (in daily infections) is a cumulative effect of something that happened a month ago, and also the fact that the virus is in our community.

"About a month ago, we saw the easing of restrictions under the Movement Control Order 3.0. And at the same time, the economic sector was also allowed to operate to help people continue with their livelihoods," he said.

Dr Chong, who also heads the special Greater Klang Valley Task Force, added: "We also had festival where people moved around during the day, and some of them even crossed state borders.

"Also the fact that we are now seeing a more dominant Covid-19 variant, which is more transmissible and aggressive.

"These factors together had caused a rise in cases," he said. 

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/08/715621/do-not-be-hasty-relaxing-restrictions-those-fully-vaccinated