MMA advises public to wear masks despite rule relaxation

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association has advised the public to continue wearing face masks despite the recent relaxation of rules, saying it will also help prevent the spread of other airborne infections, apart from Covid-19.

Its president Dr Koh Kar Chai said the country was currently facing a high number of influenza infections.

“The judicious use of face masks will help in the control of influenza as well,” he said in a statement.

It was previously reported that flu cases in the country mainly involved young children and those above 65 years of age.

Health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, however, said cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) in the country were under control despite several clusters being detected at boarding schools.

Earlier today, Khairy announced that the use of face masks would no longer be mandatory in most indoor settings effective immediately.

However, high-risk individuals such as the elderly, those with chronic diseases, and pregnant women are highly encouraged to continue donning masks when indoors.

Koh said though there were many instances where the mask mandate had been removed, “we still need to be vigilant and keep a face mask on hand to be used when needed”.

The government made face masks mandatory both outdoors and indoors on Aug 1, 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. It relaxed the policy on May 1, 2022, with people no longer required to wear one when outdoors.

National Recovery Council chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, meanwhile, said the decision to further relax the rules was based on data and research, Bernama reported.

He added that many countries, including the UK, had done away with the mask mandates in public transport and crowded areas.

“This is a positive development. We can’t force (people to wear the masks) now that the (Covid-19) situation is much better. We also need to think about one’s level of comfort,” he was quoted as saying. — Free Malaysia Today