SOP relaxation: Prerequisites needed for fully vaccinated individuals

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has recommended several prerequisites for relaxation of the standard operating procedures (SOP) for individuals who have completed both doses of the COVID-19 vaccination.

Health Deputy Director-General (Research and Technical Support) Datuk Dr Hishamshah Mohd Ibrahim said the requirement included the need for high vaccination rate among the population so that there would be no surge in new COVID-19 cases.

"Certain level of SOP compliance need to be implemented as well as the existing variants are more transmissible and more infectious. So, we need to prioritise the use of face masks, physical distancing and avoid mass gatherings.

"When these prerequisites can be been implemented, then an announcement can be made on the benefits for those who have completed their vaccination," he told a special press conference here today.

Also present were the ministry's secretary-generalDatuk Shafiq Abdullah; Public Health deputy-director cum Great Klang Valley Special Task Force Commander Datuk Dr Chong Chee Kheong; and Selangor Health Department (JKNS) director Datuk Dr Sha'ari Ngadiman.

Dr Hishamshah said the matter was still being discussed at the highest level.

He said implementation of the flexibility on the SOPs for those who completed their vaccination should not be done in haste as the matter had to be handled cautiously by the government and MOH.

Dr Hishamshah said Malaysia needed to learn from the experience of countries that gave privileges to the fully vaccinated individuals.

"They give the privilege to individuals who completed the vaccination, but when they look back at the decision, they feel the privilege was given too early. As a result, they see an increase in COVID-19 cases," he added.

-- BERNAMA