MASS Rapid Antigen Test Kits should be used for screening in areas identified by the newly introduced Covid-19 Hotspot Identification for Dynamic Engagement system as those with rising infections nationwide.
The Health Ministry has already confirmed that there is high community transmission now, therefore targeted mass screening in these areas should be done to detect infections early and prevent further spread.
Vaccinations en masse should also be considered to interrupt transmission in hotspots.
The Malaysian Medical Association believes the daily cases could be a lot higher as we have not been testing enough. We will not know the true extent of community spread until we test the community for prevalence.
It should be noted that the majority of migrant workers tested since the end of last year were not close contacts but when screened, several were found to be Covid-19 positive.
We should not be waiting for people to present with symptoms rather, we should test and immediately isolate those testing positive while close contacts are traced and tested. – The Vibes, May 10, 2021
Prof Datuk Dr Subramaniam Muniandy is president of the Malaysian Medical Association
