Were you looking forward to moving into the endemic phase of COVID-19?
Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait...but it is better to be safe than sorry!
Photo via Nikkei Asia
The government decided to delay plans to move into the endemic phase of COVID-19 due to fears of the newly identified Omicron variant.
"We are not postponing it. We are only pausing it for a while so that we can learn more about the spread of the new variant”, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
“For now, existing SOPs will remain for areas under Phase 3 and 4 of the National Recovery Plan.”
Malaysia is also tightening its borders by preventing entry to visitors from countries that have recorded Omicron cases.
Omicron has not only spread in South Africa but also several other countries including Italy, Denmark, Australia, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Hong Kong.
There are currently no Omicron cases here in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged people who are unwell or at risk of severe Covid-19 to delay travel abroad because of the Omicron variant.
This includes people over 60, and those with conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
It comes as stricter border controls and harsher quarantine rules are being introduced across the globe in response to the new variant.
By: Roshini Ravindran
