PUTRAJAYA, July 21 — Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the primary challenge of mandatory quarantining for Covid-19 is the lack of compliance among some members of the public.
He said in some cases, those quarantined at home still interact closely with their families who are not under quarantine; thus, opening the possibility for unintentional infection.
“Then there are those who, despite being quarantined at home, will sometimes go out for social gatherings, such as prayers or meals,” Dr Noor Hisham said during his press conference today.
As a result, the announcement by Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on mandatory quarantining starting this Friday (July 24) is a necessary move to prevent more Covid-19 clusters from emerging, he added.
During the press conference, the director-general was also asked about the recent viral photo of a woman said to be under Covid-19 Person Under Surveillance who was allegedly spotted enjoying a meal at a food court in Bandar Meru Raya, Perak.
She was seen wearing a pink wristband, which cannot be removed, as its wearers are under strict home quarantine orders and prohibited from venturing out for a 14-day period.
“We are currently looking into it and trying to identify the person in question.
“As I said, this is one good example of non-compliance among certain members of the public who do not seem to take seriously the potential risk that they pose to others,” he said.
During his press conference today, Ismail Sabri said both Malaysians and non-Malaysians returning to the country from abroad must now undergo quarantine at hotels or designated centres instead of their private abodes.
