GEORGE TOWN – Penang youth and sports exco Soon Lip Chee and his family are under home quarantine after his nephew, who regularly visits, tested positive for Covid-19.
Soon and his family will observe quarantine despite their first PCR and antigen tests returning negative.
He said he has not experienced any symptoms, including loss of taste and smell, adding that he will undergo another test next week.
In the Covid-19: Sampai Bila Chat, a three-session series livestreamed yesterday and today, Soon showed viewers his pink quarantine wristband.
The series, organised by the Penang Youth Development Corporation, sees recovered coronavirus patients, specialists and enforcement officials answering questions on the pandemic.
“It’s a disease; it’s not like we wanted to contract it,” said panellist Nazifah Ameer Ali, adding that the public should be informed on the right ways to support patients.
“It’s so important to check on those who are Covid-19-positive and encourage them through this difficult time. It’s not the time to blame them.”
Fellow panellist Ewe Pin said when he contracted the virus, some of his closest friends got angry at him.
He said they blamed him despite knowing that he works as an architect, and so, his job requires him to be outdoors.
“He told me that if I wanted to die, it was my problem, just don’t come near him as he has a family,” Pin said of one such friend.
He said such negative reactions led to him experiencing bouts of depression.
Soon said there should be better awareness on how to deal with the situation when a family member or close friend catches the disease.
“When conducting a PCR test, it is important to look at the cycle threshold value.
“If it is lower than 30, then it is highly contagious. Within the next few days, you must be very careful; do not be in (physical) contact with anyone.
“Once a person tests positive, and before they are sent to any (quarantine or treatment) centre, they must be in a room with an attached bathroom, so that they aren’t exposed to other people.
“We know that the majority of these centres are full, and the Health Ministry is looking to use some hotels as quarantine centres.”
One such establishment is likely to be Vouk Hotel Suites, located along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, he added. – The Vibes, June 5, 2021
