Balik kampung for raya possible if SOP compliance high! These are 6 indicators of MoH risk assessment

KUALA LUMPUR: The longing to ‘balik kampung’ to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri, expected on May 13, may be realised if the public shows high compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) on an ongoing basis.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) said it is not impossible that the excitement of ‘balik kampung’ to celebrate Hari Raya will be felt this year if that can be achieved.

MoH explained that it reviews all data and facts before advising or recommending to the Technical Committee for a decision at the Special Meeting of the National Security Council (MKN), including in relation to interstate travel permits.

"The MoH makes this risk assessment from time to time. The current situation shows new cases in a downward trend although inconsistent, but it is still too early.

“Given that the National COVID-19 Immunisation Program has just been underway, public health activities are most effective to flatten the infection curve.

"If high compliance with the SOP shown by all of us at this time continues, it is not impossible that the joy of ‘balik kampung’ to celebrate Aidilfitri will be felt this year," it said.

But what is a risk assessment?

In summary, the assessment is by looking at the current infection situation and whether the probability of infection transmission becomes more severe or vice versa.

Commenting on the risk assessment, the MoH outlined six indicators to enable the ministry to advise or recommend a matter to the Technical Committee.

The six factors are:

1.       Daily case situations including cases that have recovered and allowed to return home;

2.       Trends and infectivity rates;

3.       The current situation, namely the death rate and the number of death cases;

4.       The capacity of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds and wards in the hospital;

5.       The current situation of the infected health workers; and

6.       Screening tests conducted in the field, screening for diseases such as influenza (ILI), severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and pre -surgical sampling as well as ward admission.

The matter was informed by the MoH through an update on its official Facebook account today.

Earlier, Senior Minister (Defence Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said if the declining trend of daily COVID-19 cases continued, the possibility of interstate travel could be allowed with a risk assessment from the MoH and the people could ‘balik kampung’ for raya this year.