Health DG: CMCO Showing Good Results, Infectivity Rate Dropped From 2.2 to 1.1 In Two Weeks

With the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya entering its third week after being extended from 27 October to 9 November due to the spike in Covid-19 cases in the country, we are beginning to see the effects of the government’s restrictions.

Although the economy is still running and many businesses are still allowed to operate, there are more people staying home with less movement in public areas. This has allowed the chain of infection to be broken as the Ministry of Health (MOH) works hard to control the spread.

The way this is determined is by measuring the infectivity rate using the R0 (pronounced R-naught) value. For example, an R0 value of 1.5 means that one infected person is able to transmit the virus to an average of 1.5 other people, according to Healthline.

As of 28 October, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah shared some good news. He said that the infectivity rate, or R0 value has dropped from 2.2 at the beginning of the third wave to a current value of 1.1.

This is due to the public health efforts in the field which has shown encouraging results. The MOH’s plan is to bring the R0 value down further to less than 1.0.

Of course, this is not possible if we all don’t play our part in following the standard operating procedures and staying home as much as we can during this time. We are not only doing it for ourselves but for the dedicated frontliners who are putting their lives on the line to treat Covid-19 patients. Let’s work together to flatten the curve!

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