KUALA LUMPUR – Nightclubs remain as the only premises that are not allowed to operate as the country transits into the endemic phase.
According to the Minister of Health, Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, the nightclubs have high risk for Covid-19 infection.
“From 1 April onwards, only one premise is under the negative list, it still cannot open, the nightclubs.
“We have looked at the risk assessment. The nightclubs are high risk premises. Although we are in the endemic transition phase, it would remain under the category which cannot operate,” he said in a news conference today when asked about the ban on nightclubs despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the country will be entering into the endemic phase on 1 April.
Elaborating further, Khairy said that the government needs to be optimistic that the decision to bring the country into the endemic transition phase needs to be done. The transition, which includes the reopening of national borders and other relaxation on the standard operating procedures (SOP) should not be withdrawn.
However, he said that the matter should be reconsidered if there is a concerning new variant and gives a bad impact to the national public health system.
“Every country hopes that the transition is one way, meaning, we don’t want to turn back. However, as a Minister of Health who practises infectious diseases control policies and in charge of the public health, we must be ready to face any possibility.
“I will advise the Cabinet Ministers if there is a more aggressive new variant than the Omicron. Not only in Malaysia, but other countries must also study their protocols,” he said. -MalaysiaGazette
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