Covid-19 is making a comeback? In recent weeks, the number of confirmed infections has been rising steadily in Malaysia, Singapore as well as China.

In Malaysia, 11 Covid-related deaths were reported in the week from December 3 to 9, with a total of 12,757 cases reported, or 5,961 cases more than the previous week. This is the highest recorded in a year!

Will Covid-19 take on the world in a big way again this time? No one can tell for sure, as the effects could be far-fetching.

Countries around the world imposed multiple lockdowns from early 2020 to last year, dealing a severe blow on almost all economic sectors. Because of the pandemic, the global economy shrank 4% in 2020, the worst since the 1930s Great Depression.

Following the introduction of various vaccines and the implementation of anti-virus SOPs, humans entered the phase of “living with the virus”, a strategy deemed the most “cost-effective” and least damaging to national economies.

Despite the liberalisation over the past one year, the virus has not vanished altogether and is still very much around us, not because governments around the world are trifling with human lives, but because the fatality rate has dropped far below 1% thanks to vaccination, whereby the rate topped 4% at the early stage of the global pandemic in the first half of 2020.

When the number of new infections started to moderate and the fatality rate fell, lockdowns were no longer an option.

In short, besides government efforts, more importantly we ourselves must have self-consciousness.

Still remember the anti-virus SOPs we once practised diligently? Stay away from the crowd, put on face masks while outside, sanitise your hands frequently, and observe social distancing.

If necessary, complete at least three doses of vaccination. Take self-protection measures to minimise the rate of infection.

Still remember the anti-virus SOPs we once practised diligently? Stay away from the crowd, put on face masks while outside, sanitise your hands frequently, and observe social distancing.

Given the rising numbers of new and active cases in the country, the health ministry has published more information on prevention and treatment in a bid to boost public awareness.

The ministry says an infected individual can take the orally administered Paxlovid to mitigate the symptoms upon recommendation by a doctor.

According to the health ministry, high-risk individuals, including those above the age of 60, immuno-compromised, smokers, obese, or suffering from hypertension, high blood cholesterol and high blood sugar, can get Paxlovid from the nearest hospital.

The number of new cases and hospitalisations has also been climbing steadily in neighbouring Singapore. The city-state’s health ministry revealed in a statement last Friday that 32,000 cases were reported in the week from November 26 to December 2, up 45% from 22,000 cases a week earlier.

However, it stressed that there were no signs of increased transmissivity of the Covid-19 variant despite an increase in the number of new infections.

Similarly, China is also seeing a remarkable increase in the number of respiratory illness cases in recent weeks. In an advisory last Saturday, the Chinese National Disease Control and Prevention Administration specifically demanded physically weak individuals, senior citizens, people suffering from chronic illnesses, pregnant women, visitors to hospitals, schools, old folks’ institutions, child care centres, public transport passengers and those visiting crowded public venues, must put on their masks at all times.

Major hospitals in China witnessed a surge in patients suffering from respiratory illness, but we are not sure whether they had been infected with Covid-19.

Adhere to the preventive protocols, especially senior citizens, pregnant women, children and people suffering from chronic illnesses. Covid-19 is coming back, and we are just not trying to sound alarmist!