PUTRAJAYA JUNE 15: Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when announcing the National Recovery Plan (NRP) said that it is an exit strategy to be carried out in phases to bring the people out of COVID-19 pandemic quagmire.
Muhyiddin said, the plan was drawn up taking into account every possible consideration to ensure the decisions made will safeguard the lives and livelihood of all the people.
“The plan serves as a guide and formulated based on data and science to enable all of us to return to normalcy. In addition an increase in the supply of 16 million doses of vaccines by the end of July and the ramping up of the daily vaccination rate have given us the confidence to embark on the NRP,” he said in a live telecast on TV1 here today.
Muhyiddin added, the NRP strategy encompasses four phases involving gradual transitions that will be carried out in stages.
The NRP is formulated based on the COVID-19 transmission in the community depending on daily infection cases, capacity of the public health system based on bed utilisation in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) wards and the inoculation rate based on the percentage of people who have completed their two vaccine doses.
“The first phase is the current MCO in force amidst the number of COVID-19 cases is high, the public health system is at critical stage and vaccination rate is low.
“The government will consider transition from the First Phase to the second when the average COVID19 daily cases declines below 4,000, the public health system is no longer at critical stage including bed utilisation in ICUs at moderate level and 10 per cent of the population have received two doses of vaccine,” Muhyiddin said.
Under the Second Phase he said, the social activities and movement control remain unchanged. The second phase includes opening economic activities in stages with 80 per cent of working capacity at the premises.
The Prime Minister added, only listed sectors are allowed to operate while those not listed remain closed. The positive list from Phase One will be expanded under Phase Two and social activities and inter-state travels are still not allowed.
To move to the Third Phase Muhyiddin said, the average daily COVID-19 cases should drop below 2,000, the public health system is at a manageable level with bed usage in ICUs reduced to an adequate level and 40 per cent of the population have received two doses of vaccines.
However Muhyiddin said these thresholds are expected to be achieved the earliest by end of August 2021.
Under Phase Three all manufacturing activities will be allowed to operate subject to SOPs and capacity limits. However high risk activities involving crowds such as organisation of conventions where social distancing cannot be practised, pubs, spas and beauty salons are still not allowed. Capacity limits will be relaxed once employees have been vaccinated.
The Prime Minister added, the Parliamentary session will convene in this phase around September or October subject to stringent SOPs.
“My stance from the beginning has always been that the Democratic Parliamentary system should be able to function once again after the COVID-19 cases are well under control and when we are close to achieving herd immunity,” Muhyiddin reiterated.
From Phase Three Muhyiddin said, the three thresholds should be achieved before entering the Fourth Phase and this includes the COVID-19 cases dropping below 500 cases, the public health system is at a safe level including bed usage in ICUs at an adequate level and 60 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated.
He said based on the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, the transition is expected to take place the earliest by end of October 2021.
The Fourth Phase is the final phase of the NRP where the people can return to the normalcy in their daily life. This entails the opening of all economic sectors while more social activities will be allowed, the same with inter-state travels and domestic tourism but subject to strict SOPs.
Muhyiddin added, this phase can only be implemented once COVID-19 cases are low, the public health system is at a safe level and herd immunity is achieved the latest by the end of the year. –Malaysia World News
