Page 23 - THE COVID-19 CHRONICLES OF MALAYSIA Embracing Ripples: Coursing Forward

The Director-General of Health Malaysia The Director-General of Health Malaysia

Malaysia welcomed 2022 with Despite record-breaking daily new cases logged during the Omicron wave in the

caution as the world faced the year's first quarter, we observed significant 'decoupling effects' due to the
emergence of a new COVID-19 successful national COVID-19 vaccination programme. Hence, the number of
variant known as the Omicron. The critical care admissions, cases requiring mechanical ventilation and deaths due
Ministry of Health monitored the to COVID-19 was remarkably 80 to 90 per cent lower than during the Delta wave
situation closely with the assistance in August 2021.
of multiple agencies, as the variant

had been found in several countries With the availability of COVID-19 antivirals and nationwide paediatric and
worldwide. booster dose COVID-19 vaccination programme, the government can implement
strategies to ease the nation's transition into the endemic phase, permitting the
In December 2021, the Institute for opening of international borders, safely reopening all sectors and relaxation of
Medical Research (IMR) genotyping the mask mandate and mass gathering. The transition into an endemic phase,
found 966 out of 1077 positive declared on the 1st of April 2022, enables a change from solitary dependence on
samples from travellers were likely government interventions and a shift into shared responsibility by the individual
Omicron variants. Notably, 77 % of and community.

these cases were among Umrah
travellers. As Malaysia champions behavioural science on the international stage and at the
World Health Assembly, the nation stands in solidarity to empower individuals
Hence, the government swiftly and the community to identify and modify health behaviour, thus ensuring
engaged in diplomatic efforts to The Ministry staff’s resilience, resilience for this pandemic and future health crises. With "togetherness", we
ensure the country's preparations to earnestness and sacrifice, along with embraced the worst of the pandemic, so let's begin to edge forward together to

deal with the Omicron variant, those from various other agencies, and better the nation's health.
strengthened travel surveillance, the amazing response from ordinary
increased testing, and improved Malaysians (towards ministry
public health and hospital
preparedness to mitigate the effect initiatives) formed the basis of our
of the virus to protect the most country’s success in continuously
vulnerable populations. controlling the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Noor Hisham bin Abdullah
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Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Noor Hisham bin Abdullah
Director-General of Health Malaysia

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