Page 124 - MALAYSIA HEALTH SECTOR RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE FIELD

Table 5.1: COVID-19 alert levels for the new normal in Sarawak
Table 5.1: COVID-19 alert levels for the new normal in Sarawak
(Source: Sarawak State Health Department Personal Correspondence )
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(Source: Sarawak State Health Department Personal Correspondence )
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ALERT LEVEL ACTION

Alert Level 1 Ø No restriction in the
PREPARE
hospital's daily business.
Ø Limitation of unnecessary
visitors to the hospital;
Alert Level 2 REDUCE only one essential carer
for the needy patients is
allowed.
Ø Contingency plan for
healthcare services by
Alert Level 3 RESTRICT cutting down clinics/ or
elective surgeries to free
up beds.
Ø Reprioritisation of
healthcare services,
rationing of supplies, and
requisitioning of facilities;
Ø Routine care is postponed,
and urgent acute care
Alert Level 4 LOCKDOWN conducted in person and
in-home visiting required
for priority populations
are allowed.
Ø Residential facilities will
remain open with strict
visitor policies.

5.2.3 Maintaining Essential Healthcare Services

Healthcare services in Sabah have often been hampered with persistent
issues concerning human resource availability, medical equipment
availability, and a list of aging equipment awaiting replacements. All
healthcare services in Sabah were affected when the third wave of the
COVID-19 pandemic struck. The Sabah State Health Department has already
put in place several strategies since the previous waves of the pandemic to
ensure the continuity of existing essential healthcare services in Sabah. The

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