In a special address by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today, it was revealed that the government is considering the mandatory usage of face masks in public. This is due to the sudden rise of COVID-19 infections in Malaysia as of late.
That being said, PM Muhyiddin did not announce any in-depth details regarding the proposed mandatory usage of face mask though. However, he did note that more information will be announced to the public once related regulations have been finalized by the government.
While many of us are expecting PM Muhyiddin to make some announcement that would greatly affect the on-going Recovery Movement Control Order, it turned out that today’s speech was generally meant to remind everyone that the threat of COVID-19 infections is still very much present in Malaysia.
According to the current advisory from the World Health Organization, governments should promote the usage of face mask in certain situations and settings to help avoid the community transmission of COVID-19. The UN agency also states that medical masks should be reserved for health workers and at-risk individuals if they are in short supply which fortunately does not apply to Malaysia at the moment.
Several countries throughout the world have already made it compulsory to wear a face mask in public. For example, Vietnam, Venezuela, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, and Slovakia have implemented such regulation back in March.
All in all, the fight against COVID-19 is not yet over. So, do not let your guard down and please continue adhering to countermeasures such as having good personal hygiene, avoiding packed places, and wear your face mask whenever you are in a public area.
