Page 19 - Berita Sunway - Issue 69

COVID-19 FEATURES
DO YOUR PART,

STAY APART

WHY FLATTENING THE CURVE MATTERS?

Social distancing and flattening the curve of COVID-19 is key to overcoming the pandemic

ocial distancing is here to stay, even as Malaysia commenced its WHY FLATTER IS BETTER
RMCO on June 10. As the nation moved into the recovery phase According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social
Sof COVID-19, increasingly more sectors were gradually allowed to distancing and reducing contact with others is part of the process to
resume operations but under the ‘new normal’ of the government’s social flatten the curve.
distancing SOPs in place.
As the WHO puts it, to explain an outbreak or epidemic, a graph is used
Strict adherence to the SOPs in place may eradicate a virus from a to present the number of cases of infected people over time. The ‘curve’
community before a vaccine can be found, said Malaysian Health Ministry indicates the projected number of cases, or people who will contract
director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, citing Malaysia’s COVID-19 over a time period. A high curve indicates a steep increase in
experience with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the number of cases per day, followed by a steep decrease; a flatter curve
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome shows a more gradual increase in
Coronavirus(MERS-CoV) in the past as cases per day and corresponding
examples. decrease.
“So it is possible… we have to depend on While the number of people
the public to comply to the SOPs, and if infected might be the same over a
we can comply to the SOPs, we can break long period of time, the difference
down (the infection), we can flatten the Let us do our part is the number of daily cases. This
curve, we can bring down the cases,” he is important because every country
said during a June 9 press briefing. only has a limited number of
by staying apart, hospitals, nurses and doctors. The
However, as the RMCO restrictions steeper the curve, the quicker the
are relaxed and businesses resume local healthcare system becomes
operations again, more Malaysians but together in heart. overloaded beyond its capacity to
are taking it easy, letting their guard treat people, as seen in countries
down by bringing young children to like Italy.
malls, not practicing social distancing
or not wearing a face mask in public. Slowing down the transmission of
This prompts the question of whether the virus helps to flatten the curve
everyone understands the need for social or bring down the number of daily
distancing, and why flattening the curve cases to a gradual rate.
matters.
Everyone has a role to play in
HOW SOCIAL DISTANCING AFFECTS THE CURVE slowing down the transmission. Possible COVID-19 cases need to be
As of May 30, the infectivity rate or Reproductive number (R0) of COVID-19 identified and tested quickly by doctors and then isolated so they cannot
in Malaysia was 0.3 compared to 0.6 during the MCO period in March and infect others; the same applies to close contacts of cases who must be
3.55 pre-MCO, according to MOH’s Noor Hisham. identified via contact tracing before they are quarantined to limit possible
spread.
This means that an infected person can only infect 0.3 people during
the CMCO as opposed to 3.55 people pre-MCO, which indicates the Every single individual can make a big difference in simple ways –
effectiveness of the MCO in reducing the number of cases and flattening maintain a metre or more distance from others when you are in public,
the curve. stay home when you are sick and practise good hygiene habits. This
includes washing hands regularly, wearing a face mask in public, using an
While Malaysia has successfully flattened the curve with the MCO, Noor alcohol-based sanitiser and sneezing into your elbow or tissue to prevent
Hisham warned that the R0 can increase again should Malaysians fail to any potential infections.
be vigilant during the recovery period and ignore preventive measures.
Even though everyone is distancing themselves to stay safe, do not forget
to check up on friends or elderly neighbours who may not be as mobile,
and offer to help them with groceries or online shopping if you can. Every
bit helps as we try to get through these unprecedented times together.

BERITA SUNWAY | JUL—SEP 2020 | 19