GEORGE TOWN – Penang executive councillor for tourism and creative economy Yeoh Soon Hin is urging tourism industry players to refine their procedures and precautionary measures to ensure that they are suited to face the ongoing trend of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He noted in a statement today that tourist sites in the state, which have opened their doors to visitors since the reopening of interstate borders, may have unintentionally let their guard down two years into the pandemic, in which an influx of patrons has been observed during the current festivity.
“It is definitely a good sign to see our economy gaining momentum again, but at the same time, we should remain vigilant against the virus to ensure that this recovery is sustainable and not short-lived.
“As an example, we may consider only allowing admission to those who have taken their Covid-19 booster shots or reducing the capacity of the site to avoid overcrowding.
“It is better to be safe than sorry. Self-discipline is important for us to subdue the virus. After all, we’re all in this together,” he added.
The tourism industry was badly hit when the state border was closed for most of last year.
As the federal government is looking to open the country’s international borders, the increase of cases is causing local travellers to rethink their domestic travel plans.
Yesterday, Covid-19 cases in Penang had a sharp increase from 693 the day before to 1,023 cases yesterday.
The last time infections were this high was from August to September 2021.
Despite the number of cases, there are only seven patients in the ICU and a total of 64 hospital admissions yesterday. – The Vibes, February 9, 2022
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