‘Follow SOP to check Covid-19’, Containing the rising spread

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Mask up to be safe: People wearing face masks as a protective measure against air pollution and Covid-19 in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. — Filepic

 

 

Containing the rising spread

 

Covid-19: Health Ministry says cases up by 57.3%

Keep safety measures up as the year-end holidays approach says health experts

 

PETALING JAYA: As Covid-19 caseloads increase, health experts say Malaysians must exercise vigilance to avoid catching the life-threatening disease and other infectious respiratory diseases such as influenza.

These experts say that keeping safety measures up, especially as the year-end holidays approach, can protect yourselves and others besides preventing both asymptomatic and symptomatic spread of respiratory illnesses, which are more dangerous for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children and chronically ill.

Public health medicine specialist Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said that during the year-end rainy and wet season, there will be many respiratory infection cases due to viruses.

He said the public should not only take measures to prevent Covid-19 but also other respiratory diseases and food and water-borne illnesses during these wet months.

“Covid-19 is still with us and can cause severe illness and even death. Practise SOP (standard operating procedure) like wearing a mask, washing hands, avoiding crowded places, seeking treatment and completing the immunisation schedule,” he said.

On Nov 23, the Health Ministry said that Covid-19 cases had risen by 28% between Nov 12 and 18 at 2,305 infections compared to 1,801 the week before.

ALSO READ: Daily confirmed cases steadily rising since September

Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said given that Covid-19 symptoms were now mild for most, there was a high likelihood of those infected not performing self-tests or isolating themselves. She also stressed on the use of face masks for those with flu-like symptoms and isolation if the individual is confirmed to contract Covid-19.

“Skipping these practices could be one of the main reasons why there is an increase in cases,” she said.

Dr Azizan said those with influenza should mask up when going around, adding that Covid-19-positive individuals should report themselves through the MySejahtera app.

She also reminded those in high-risk categories to ensure that they have received the recommended boosters and use a face mask when in crowded places and situations.

“The elderly are also recommended to take the influenza vaccine as they may have a weaker immune system. The same goes for children above six months of age,” she said. “And do not forget the good habits the pandemic has taught us: wash hands often with soap and water or use sanitiser.”

Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said that while the recent 28% surge in cases was concerning, it had to be ascertained whether there was also a rise in virulence.

ALSO READ: Health Ministry to send report to PAC over Covid-19 management

The health economist and public health specialist with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said there is a need to look at trends of Covid-19 admissions and patients with severe respiratory symptoms.On whether a major outbreak is possible, Dr Sharifa Ezat said it is unlikely “unless a new variant of concern comes up, and is highly virulent”.

She also advised patients with mild Covid-19 to wear a mask and get boosted if they have yet to do so, while those with severe symptoms should get tested and seek treatment.

“Immunocompromised populations are at higher risk of developing severe symptoms as well,” she said, referring to those with obesity, young children, the elderly and individuals with non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.

Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said there has been a small increase in Covid-19 patients in private hospitals but the situation is still manageable.

“We have seen spikes after festive periods and we should be careful with very crowded places during gatherings,” he added.

Malaysian Pharmacists Society president Amrahi Buang said the new wave of infections was likely due to new variants and it has been happening in other countries as well, such as in Perth, Australia.

Last week, a surge in Covid-19 cases prompted the government of the Western Australian state to reintroduce face mask rules at Perth public hospitals.

Amrahi said the current rise in infections in Malaysia is concerning, adding that people have not been using MySejahtera to self-report.

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Watch out for new mutant strain, Omicron Subvariant BA.2.86, nicknamed Pirola

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PETALING JAYA: The BA.2.86 subvariant of the Covid-19 virus, known as Pirola, has not landed in Malaysia yet but this newly-detected, highly-mutated variant of Omicron has raised concerns in countries such as the United States and Britain.

Public health expert Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said the BA.2.86 subvariant was highly infectious and could easily spread.

As such, he urged the public to get a booster shot and complete their recommended vaccination schedule.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia professor of public health Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said the subvariant might be potentially more transmissible because its spike protein could undergo up to 30 mutations.

However, she said some experts were of the opinion that it might just pass us by without having a significant effect.

“Treatments such as antivirals like Paxlovid are still efficacious with current strains. Even if people get reinfected by BA.2.86, the immune memory will still allow their immune system to kick in and control the infection far more effectively as many have received their booster doses.

“The current advice is still the same – get your boosters, wear masks in public spaces, wash your hands and maintain good ventilation. It is expected that new vaccines against the new strains will be available soon,” added Prof Sharifa Ezat.

Universiti Putra Malaysia’s associate professor of virology Dr Chee Hui Yee said it was still too early to conclude how dangerous the subvariant was as only some 31 genomic sequences of the Pirola variant had been recorded with the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data.

“Close monitoring and observation are needed and I would like to suggest for Malaysia to do whole genome sequencing on more recent samples to track the variant,” she said.

“We can live our lives as usual, but take more precautions when travelling overseas.”The subvariant has also been found in wastewater samples in several countries, including Britain and Thailand.

First found in Denmark in July, the subvariant has also been detected in South Africa, Portugal, Thailand, Sweden, Switzerland and Canada.

The United States is also expecting updated versions of Covid-19 vaccines that have been tweaked to enable the body to ward off the current variants. In the meantime, Britain is fast-tracking its flu and Covid-19 vaccination drive for care home residents and those immunocompromised as a precautionary measure.While studies are ongoing to ascertain the traits and the effects of Pirola, sore throat, cough, headaches and a runny or blocked nose are said to be some of the symptoms.

On Aug 30, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was monitoring the Pirola variant, adding that it was still too soon to ascertain its impact and degree of transmissibility.Based on an examination of Pirola’s mutation profile, the CDC said treatments such as Paxlovid, remdesivir and molnupiravir would be effective.

In the Yale Medicine Bulletin published on Aug 31, infectious disease specialist Dr Scott Roberts said the strain had been detected in at least six countries and that the cases were unrelated.

This, he said, suggested that there was some degree of transmission in the international community that had not been detected.Dr Roberts said with a greater degree of herd immunity as a result of infection and vaccination, the world was not as vulnerable to severe illness or infection from the coronavirus as it was at the height of the pandemic in 2020.

“Since the original version of SARS-CoV-2, many people have got infected, and many have been boosted. However, for many of us, it might have been a year or more since we’ve had a booster, so I would encourage everyone to get the updated shot, which is expected to come out in mid-September,” he added.

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A New Zealand story that Asean can learn from

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New Zealand – Wikipedia

 

 

Wellington

 

 

 New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reacts following the announcement of her resignation at the War Memorial Hall in Napier, New Zealand, on Jan. 19. (Reuters/AAP Image/Ben McLay) 

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won the hearts of Muslims across the globe when she, wearing a headscarf, comforted the families of victims of the massacre in two mosques by a white supremacist in Christchurch in 2019. Last Thursday, she again astonished an even larger audience with her abrupt resignation, although she stands a great chance to win the upcoming election in October.

The mother of four-year-old Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford has undoubtedly made a name for herself as an icon of statesmanship. She has played a role model of a leader who not only does her best for her nation, but also knows when to fade away to ensure a sustainable succession. She could have sought a third term, but she shows she is not hungry for power.

“The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and also when you are not. I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It’s that simple,” the 42-year-old politician said of her reason to step down.

With a population of 5 million, New Zealand is a tiny nation. But its economic size ranks the country among the world’s richest. The country is a permanent dialogue partner of ASEAN along with the United States, China, the European Union, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Russia and India. Unlike close neighbor Australia, which acts as the deputy sheriff of the US, New Zealand has distanced itself from the rivalry of major powers.

Through her exemplary decision, Ardern has taught politicians, male and female, a lesson that they should be ready to leave office when the public do not want them anymore, or else the people will force them to go. Some leaders are willing to step down but prepare their own men or children as successors, but this is clearly not the case in New Zealand under Ardern.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo may have to ask his die-hard supporters who have been pushing for his term extension to reflect on Ardern’s bold decision. To prevent rampant abuse of power, which was rampant during the New Order authoritarian rule, the Constitution was amended in 1999 to limit presidential tenure to only twice.

In fact, Indonesian political culture knows no resignation. Politicians or officials tend to cling on power as long as possible by justifying all means.

Ardern won the Labor Party leadership shortly before she won the 2017 election. Her party further won the 2020 election. At that time she was facing at least three major challenges which she could overcome: The 2019 shooting spree of Muslims, the COVID-19 pandemic and the eruption of the White Island Volcano. Her strict lockdown policy to contain the COVID-19 transmission was much criticized, but later she proved she was right and her critics wrong.

The Labor Party elected Education Minister Chris Hipkins as Ardern’s successor on Sunday. The party hopes Ardern’s graceful exit will help it win the October election.

The world loves to see her as a true mother of New Zealand. Her ability to simultaneously perform her state and personal responsibilities, as a mother and wife, inspired and was looked up to by women all over the world. From the beginning, she has proven that women can break the glass ceiling when it comes to the highest office, which in advanced democracies like the US has not yet happened.

She has taught a precious lesson to world leaders that they should know when to call it quits. A true leader will not wait until his or her people force them to go. And we all owe it to Ardern’s beautiful mind.

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Charting Malaysia’s direction

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Active: Studies have shown that users of public transport have greater health benefits, as users walk or cycle instead of sitting in a car. — Filepic

 

MALAYSIA has experienced an extremely eventful period since the last general election in 2018. Since then, we have seen political instability with three prime ministers and three health ministers, a global pandemic causing five million cases and 36,000 deaths in Malaysia, multiple floods, a slowing economy, and rising cost of living.

The existence of the #RakyatJagaRakyat, #KitaJagaKita, and white flag movements paint the narrative of the rakyat feeling that they must be self-reliant and must depend on one another.

This solidarity is important. What’s equally important is to choose our political leaders carefully, in the form of elections.

While a general election is not a reset button which provides an immediate solution, it does offer a chance for the rakyat to chart Malaysia’s direction over the next five years.

In an increasingly crowded political climate, every vote matters. For example, in 2018, the State Legislative Assembly (SLA) seat of Ajil in Terengganu was won by a meagre margin of only four votes. This shows every vote is important and has the potential to determine who does or does not become the rakyat’s representative to Parliament or SLAs. Therefore, all Malaysians must exercise their constitutional right (and duty) to vote.

With the 15th General Election and state elections for Pahang, Perak, and Perlis falling on 19 Nov 2022, these are what we, as health practitioners, would like to see candidates offer:

Prioritise health in all policies:

Health is an important component in all public policies, not just in the Health Ministry. This is because health is affected by various factors associated with everyday living, from transport to employment rights, gender rights, poverty eradication and education. This is termed as the social determinants of health. For example, policies which make public transport safe and accessible would encourage public use of trains or buses, which could reduce stress and help address climate change.

Studies have shown users of public transport also have greater health benefits, as users walk or cycle instead of sitting in a car. This not only increases the fitness level of the users, but also reduces the risk of diabetes and hypertension.

This example shows the intricate connection between policies and health. Hence, when addressing voters with their manifestos, we look forward to candidates putting forward policies which champion the health and wellbeing of the rakyat, and for elected representatives to lobby and implement good health-centric policies.

Build continuity into the health reform process:

Many Bills were presented or planned to be presented to Parliament prior to its dissolution, for example, the Generational End Game anti-smoking bill and the Health Reforms White Paper. These two bills represent long-term efforts to reform the health system to improve the health of Malaysians, introduced by the strong and capable Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

These two Bills must survive the political transition process. Therefore, the reform process must be equipped with safeguards which allow them to be carried out on “autopilot mode” by our very competent civil servants, and ongoing projects should not be scrapped without good reason.

It is our sincere hope that whoever forms the government next would minimise the delay of the health reform process and build continuity into the health reform process.

 

Place capable individuals in positions of leadership:

Good practices begin with good leadership and placing the right persons in the right positions has strong implications. In past years, there have been individuals being celebrated for the impact they make despite the short duration of governance. Candidates for the elections, and subsequently for ministerial positions, must be made based on competence, merit, and their qualifications.

Specifically, the appointment of the health minister is important because we need people who can understand the needs and nuances associated with the role. While there have been strong performances from ministers without a medical background, the eventual government can also appoint non-elected and well-qualified technocrats to the role.

Besides that, the appointments to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Health, Science, and Innovation are important as well. The PSC must provide strong recommendations and play an instrumental role in providing check and balance, to contribute to the strong performance of the Health Ministry in recent years.

Finally, while it is easy to forget, we are still in the middle of a pandemic. The Omicron sublineage variant of XBB has been reported to be the most antibody-evasive variant identified to date. It has been identified in over 26 countries and is spreading rapidly. In Malaysia, the seven-day average new case is nearing the 3,000 mark, which was last breached two months ago. Hence, we strongly encourage election campaigners to take necessary steps including holding virtual ceramah on social media to limit the spread of infection. Candidates being given equal airtime on mainstream media would be an efficient way to prevent the spread of infection as well.

At the same time, campaign managers should seek expert opinion prior to organising events as well. With the threat of the flood season, election campaigners must make sure the safety of the campaigners and the crowd are prioritised during the campaign and also on polling day. The Meteorological Department’s reports should be heeded and, should the event of disasters such as floods take place, the priority should be to save lives and ensure aid reaches affected families.

Come Nov 19, Malaysians have a chance to reset and restart the country. While the election has to take place, we must ensure it is a safe one for all involved: For voters, officials, volunteers, and candidates. We look forward to the safe execution of the 15th General Election and hope that the best of Malaysia will be elected, and not incompetent, corrupt, or divisive politicians.

DR SEAN THUM and DR KHOR SWEE KHENG

(Drs Sean Thum and Khor Swee Kheng are part of the Malaysian Health Coalition) 

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Inhalable CanSino vaccine rolled out

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Take a deep breath: A health worker administering a dose of CanSino Biologics inhalable Covid-19 vaccine in Lianyungang in China’s eastern Jiangsu province. — AFP

 

Inhalable Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial ongoing, says Khairy

 

BEIJING: Residents in the capital can start making appointments for an inhalable Covid-19 booster made by CanSino Biologics, media reported, while those in Tianjin city can now get it as the Chinese pharmaceutical firm distributes more supplies.

CanSino’s vaccine, called Convidecia Air, is an aerosol version of an inactive shot and was approved as an emergency-use booster by Chinese health authorities in September.

The financial hub of Shanghai and 13 cities in the eastern province of Jiangsu have already introduced the CanSino vaccine as a booster, the company had said.

Appointments for the vaccine in the capital can be booked on a mobile phone app for residents of one district, the official Beijing Business Daily reported yesterday.

Increasing the uptake of vaccinations is vital for China, which is sticking resolutely to its strict zero-Covid policy that aims to prevent large-scale outbreaks and fatalities, especially among the elderly.

China has relied on domestically produced, inactivated shots and has yet to import, or introduce its own version of an mRNA vaccine.

According to official data, more than 90% of China’s population has been vaccinated.
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Regarding the efficacy of its vaccine, Hong Kong-listed CanSino said in a statement on Wednesday that studies showed “using Convidecia Air as a heterologous booster generated much stronger immune responses than those induced by a homologous inactivated vaccine booster”.

The vaccine will be available in Tianjin from Thursday, it said.

The Hong Kong shares of CanSino rose as much as 11.8% to HK$119.80 on Thursday, their biggest gain since Nov 4. — Reuters 

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Mask up with new Covid-19 wave sweeping nation

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PETALING JAYA: People should keep their face masks on in crowded and enclosed areas as the new Covid-19 wave sweeps the nation, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Khairy said the public should remain vigilant and adhere to the TRIIS method – Test, Report, Isolate, Inform and Seek – should they be infected.

He also said the drug Paxlovid would be given to high-risk patients.

“Covid-19 cases have reached nearly 4,000 today (Thursday), with about 96% belonging to Category 1 and 2.

“We are experiencing a wave of infections. Whether the wave is big or small depends on our actions,” he said in a post on his Twitter account.

Prior to this, Khairy had said the nation was experiencing a small wave of Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron XBB subvariant.

On Monday (Oct 31) , he said that Covid-19 infections due to the XBB subvariant were expected to go up in the next few weeks – to between 3,000 and 5,000 daily cases – with the crest of the wave coinciding with the 15th General Election.

He reminded the public to be careful, especially with the country entering the campaign period for GE15.

Khairy also encouraged frontline staff, including Election Commission employees who will be on duty during GE15, to get a second booster vaccine dose. 

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COVID-19 Dashboard (Live)

The latest global numbers on the Coronavirus outbreak

 

 

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CHINA

 

 

 

World faces risk of combined epidemic of influenza and COVID-19 in the coming winter: top Chinese epidemiologists.

 

Zhong Nanshan Photo: VCG

 

The world still faces the risk of a combined pandemic of COVID-19 and influenza, especially this winter, Zhong Nanshan, top Chinese respiratory diseases expert, said on Tuesday in The World Flu Day 2022 Symposium that more efforts are needed to tackle the scientific problems of influenza prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Both COVID-19 and influenza viruses are respiratory viruses, and respiratory virus infections tend to have a short incubation period, rapid and wide spread, strong transmission, high incidence, and are difficult to control,” Zhong pointed out. Once the epidemic caused by respiratory viruses breaks out, it often leads to serious public health crisis, and then becomes the focus of the prevention and control of infectious diseases in the world.

At the conference, Dong Chen, an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, also said that the world still faces a high risk of overlapping epidemics of respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza and COVID-19, and the prevention of that still has a long way to go.

“Since June, there has been a new outbreak of avian influenza in Europe and an unprecedented outbreak of H5N1 infection in birds in the US, with a very high risk of spillover into humans. So the combination of influenza and COVID-19 is a very big challenge for us this winter and next spring,” Gao Fu, former head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, also warned that the current level of COVID-19 vaccination is gradually increasing, but the flu vaccination rate is generally low.

Due to COVID-19 prevention and control measures, data over the past two years have shown that influenza prevalence level has remained low. But things are gradually changing.

As COVID-19 flares up in several places across China with total daily cases nearing 3,000, many localities, including Central China’s Henan and South China’s Guangdong, are stepping up efforts to contain the virus and resume work and life as soon as possible.

On Tuesday, 465 new confirmed cases were reported nationwide. As Tuesday, 31 Chinese provinces, regions and municipalities have reported 4,854 confirmed cases.

Zhang Wenqing, Director of WHO Global Influenza Programme, said in the conference that at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the influenza situation was very weak around the world, but the change occurred in the second half of 2021. The data showed an increase in influenza virus activity in many countries, both in the northern and southern hemispheres.

“In some countries in the southern hemisphere, influenza virus is more active than it was before the COVID-19 outbreak,” Zhang said. This points to the important question of whether the northern hemisphere will see the same seasonal flu spike as the southern hemisphere.

Talking about the reasons for this change, Gao said one possible reason is that in the past three years, public health measures have been implemented globally, which has caused the overall population to have a weak immunity to influenza viruses. Some countries have relaxed their public health policies recently, making it more likely that new strains will emerge, Gao warned. At the same time, the low rate of influenza vaccination also causes the situation that the influenza virus is easy to spread.

As for how to effectively deal with this crisis, scholars from different regions and countries, such as Russia and the UK, agreed that the experience of COVID-19 prevention and control is worth learning, for example, the development of rapid and accessible diagnostic methods may play a crucial role in the prevention and control of influenza epidemic.

Zhong believes that basic research and clinical research have important scientific and practical significance in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of respiratory viruses. The COVID-19 epidemic has promoted basic research on pathogenesis and accelerated the development of rapid clinical diagnostic methods, and provided an important basis for the clinical practice of epidemic prevention and control and the judgment of disease prognosis.

In recent years, China has made a series of landmark achievements in respiratory virus research, Dong added.

Basic research has made progress in respiratory viruses, etiology, structural biology, immunology, and cross-species and so on, and formed a good technical reserve, which can provide guidance for the prevention and control strategy of influenza, Dong said.

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Take second boosters

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New Covid-19 infection wave may emerge sooner than forecast

Senior citizens and individuals with chronic illnesses have been reminded to take their second Covid-19 booster shots as a potential new Covid-19 infection wave may emerge sooner than forecast, says the Health Minister.

Khairy Jamaluddin said this was based on the number of cases reported in recent days both here and across the Causeway.

“Over the past two to three days we have been reporting more than 2,000 cases a day against 1,000 and 2,000 previously.

“Today (Thursday), we have 2,796 cases with two new clusters reported at institutions of higher learning.

“So if we are not cautious, the cases will keep on increasing in the coming weeks,” he told reporters after officially opening the otorhinolaryngology centre and sleep lab at Hospital Rembau.

On Tuesday, Khairy said Covid-19 cases would fluctuate and a potential new infection wave might emerge in the next few months, despite the current situation being under control.

He said Malaysians ought to know the latest developments so that they can take preventive measures against contracting the virus.

 

Young patients: Khairy visiting a ward for children with hearing problems after officially opening the otorhinolaryngology centre and sleep lab at Hospital Rembau. — Bernama

“This is more of a preventive measure so that we are ready and not to scare anyone. In fact, other nations have faced a similar situation,” he said.

Khairy said what was important was that the new wave was not as contagious and that the number of deaths and admissions into intensive care units remained low.

He said all states except Selangor, Johor, Kedah and Terengganu have reported an increase in the number of cases compared with the previous day while two new higher education clusters have also been reported.

“It is also my hope that those above 60 and those with chronic illnesses will take the second booster shot as this is the best way to keep them safe,” he said.

As of June 20, almost 108,000 individuals aged 12 years and above have received their second Covid-19 booster jabs. About 58,000 were aged above 60.

Khairy said he was also closely following the Covid-19 situation in Singapore.

“I have to do so because Malaysia and Singapore are in the same epidemiological area with no travel restrictions and hundreds of thousands crossing the Causeway daily.

“My Singapore counterpart has also told me that the republic has been seeing more BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants which were more transmissible than earlier variants,” he said, adding that these variants, however, had the same effect as other Omicron variants. 

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The role of viruses in human gut

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Gut Bacteria and Viruses

Human’s gut virus composition is as unique as a fingerprint: Study

What is the gut microbiome?

How the food you eat affects your gut – Shilpa Ravella

How the food you eat affects your brain – Mia Nacamulli

 

Lee’s work titled “The gut virome in two indigenous populations from Malaysia” has been published in the prestigious Nature publication, Scientific Reports. 

 “The sole purpose of a virus’s life is to multiply, but the irony is that it cannot multiply on its own.”

VIRUSES have been in our lives and newsfeeds almost incessantly in the last two years. We have been double-jabbed and masked for much of this time in an effort to avoid the SARS-CoV-2 virus. As we have learnt, these steps can help limit the spread of Covid-19 and help us avoid infection.

But can we avoid viruses entirely? The simple answer is no.

The sole purpose of a virus’s life is to multiply, but the irony is that it cannot multiply on its own.

Instead, viruses must rely on the cellular machinery from more advanced forms of life – bacteria, plants or animals.

How many viruses in total are there in the world at any time? An estimated ten nonillion (1031) is the figure that has been bandied about – a number so enormous that we cannot truly appreciate what it means.

There are so many types of viruses occupying so many different hosts and ecosystems that we have no idea of how many categories of viruses there are.

Humans carry an astronomical number of viruses all the time. These viruses do not kill us because their targets are the billions of bacteria that reside in our bodies, principally in the gut.

A recent paper from Chuen Zhang Lee, an Honours student at Monash University Malaysia, reports progress in identifying bacterial viruses in our guts by using human faeces as the starting material. Lee used faecal matter from two Malaysian Orang Asli groups, the Jehai and the Jakun, to show that the viruses they contain are different from viruses in more frequently studied groups, such as Europeans or Chinese.

Lee enriched the viruses in the faeces (as an indicator,  of what is actually in the gut) away from all the yucky material, bacterial cells and human cells and extracted the genetic material from this virus enriched material.

The viral DNA was then sequenced at the Monash University Malaysia Genomics Facility using a technique that allows one to read long stretches of DNA.

Muhammad Zarul Hanifah, who works at the Genomics Facility, assisted Lee in analysing his data.

Using this method, Lee recognised approximately half the DNA as coming from known viruses. Based on the viruses he found, he could identify what some of the sample-givers had consumed and their lifestyle and environment.

He also identified some of the bacteria in our guts these viruses could attack and therefore, get a partial picture of what types of bacteria could be in our guts.

These results start to build up a picture of how our gut health is determined, which can significantly determine our overall health. It is clear that viruses may also have a role in determining gut health – a complex topic.

Lee was supervised by a group of researchers including Prof Maude Phipps from the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dr Jeremy Barr from Monash University School of Biological Sciences and Prof Qasim Ayub, Prof Sunil Lal and Prof Sadequr Rahman from the School of Science.

Lee’s work titled “The gut virome in two indigenous populations from Malaysia” has been published in the prestigious Nature publication, Scientific Reports.

Viruses are clearly ‘cool’ and ‘hot’ right now, and are likely to remain that way for a long time. We look forward to furthering discoveries on viruses and insights into how they can be used to our benefit.

To know more about the programmes offered by the School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, visit http://www.monash.edu. my/science. Alternatively, visit http://www.monash.edu.my for more information. 

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Unmasking the superpower

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    Unmasking a villain: Revealing the true nature of the US and what it has wrought onto the world with CG cartoons

     

    The masks covering the true face of the US were taken off one after another through the seven stories the Global Times had published over the course of the past few weeks. These masks are engraved with words such as peace, liberty, security, unity, science, humanity, and global order, hiding the country’s true visage that has been distorted with lust, greed, and subjugation.

     

     

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    GT Investigates: Layer by layer, peeling back the US’ masks and what it has wrought onto the world

     

    The masks covering the true face of the US have been removed one after another through the seven investigative stories the Global Times published over the course of the past few weeks. These masks are engraved with beautiful words such as peace, liberty, security, unity, science, humanity, and global order, hiding the country’s true visage distorted with lust, greed, and subjugation.

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      ‘Voldemort’ of global order: America is the ‘Dark Lord’ set on destroying international order

       

      Fanning the flames to create turmoil, using economic and financial hegemony to sanction opponents, and forming cliques to create political isolation – the US is using its hegemony to undermine the international order.

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Human rights development much broader in China than in the West

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Senior citizens with high-risk comorbidities eligible for second booster shot

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Khairy: Currently, the Comirnaty mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) is the recommended vaccine for a second booster dose based on available scientific data. (Photo by Zahid Izzani Mohd Said/The Edge)

 KUALA LUMPUR (April 14): Senior citizens with high-risk comorbidities are eligible to receive a second Covid-19 booster shot four to six months after their first booster dose, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Thursday.

Khairy also said that severely immunocompromised individuals aged 12 and above may receive their first booster jab within 28 days of receiving the second Covid-19 vaccine.

“It is not mandatory but optional, and it will be made through appointments,” he told a press conference.

Khairy said those aged 60 and above who are healthy and not at risk for comorbidities should discuss with their doctor whether a second booster vaccination would be recommended for them.

Meanwhile, senior citizens who have received a booster vaccination and have tested positive for Covid-19 can receive a second booster vaccination three months after their full recovery, he said.

The minister said Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty’s vaccine is the recommended vaccine for a second booster dose based on scientific data available.

On the booster shot for teenagers, Khairy said: “We leave it to the parents to talk to medical practitioners to make a decision. There is no coercion.”

The minister said the implementation of this latest recommendation will not affect the full vaccination status of high-risk individuals who do not receive a second booster dose. The Health Ministry is currently updating clinical guidelines detailing implementation, he said.

Khairy said the ministry has also received requests from individuals who want to travel abroad to receive a second booster dose to meet the travel requirements.

“For example, there are some countries in continental Europe that do not recognise Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines as first and booster doses,” he said.

“Therefore, people who want to go abroad can receive a second booster dose at least one month apart after the first booster dose to meet the requirements of going abroad,” he said.

As of March 31, a total of 701 individuals had received digital certificates of exemption from vaccination for medical reasons.

These individuals will also automatically receive a booster vaccination exemption.

“Individuals who are not eligible for a booster vaccination for medical reasons, especially the primary Sinovac or Sinopharm recipients or senior citizens who have not yet received a digital vaccination exemption certificate will need to submit a new application.

“They must obtain confirmation from a medical practitioner and then submit an application to the nearest district health department,” said Khairy.

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Seniors open to second booster dose

PETALING JAYA: Feeling boosted by the protection offered by the vaccine, many Covid-19-conscious senior citizens say they are receptive to taking a fourth dose.

Leong King Soon, 62, and his wife Barbara Teoh, 60, have hypertension and diabetes respectively and with their comorbidities, they are among the senior citizens now eligible to get a fourth shot of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Leong, who took his first booster in December, said he and his wife have so far not contracted Covid-19.

“I have been in close contact with Covid-19 individuals many times as I work as an industrial machine repairman and go to many factories for my job but so far so good.

“Besides taking the standard operating procedure seriously such as wearing a face mask and frequently washing hands, I really think that the three doses of the Covid-19 vaccine I took have kept me protected until now.

“So when the time comes for the fourth dose, I will definitely go get it with my wife,” said Leong.

He added that Teoh, too, had been in close contact unwittingly with Covid-19-positive friends and relatives but she has also been safe so far.

“She only took her first booster last month as she was ill over the past few months and needed her doctor’s clearance,” added Leong.

On Thursday, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said senior citizens with comorbidities can get the fourth shot between four and six months after their first booster, while seniors without comorbidities can get a second booster provided they get approval from their doctor.

Seniors who have received their booster dose but have been infected with Covid-19 will be eligible for a fourth shot three months after they recover.

Leong had this to say: “Get the booster for your own protection and ignore all the negative stories that you hear. People don’t remember the positive stories but like to hang on to the negative ones.”

Trader Saifuddin Omar, 67, who has diabetes and hypertension, also believes that the Covid-19 vaccine he took has protected him from the virus.

“Recently, my daughter and her son, who live with me, got infected but they didn’t know until five days later. We all share the same bathroom and eat at the same table but my wife and I didn’t get infected.

“My daughter and grandson (aged eight) are fully vaccinated and only suffered mild symptoms,” he said.

Saifuddin recalled initially feeling scared last year about taking the vaccine after hearing stories about the side effects.

“But now I see that it does help, I feel encouraged to take the fourth dose of the vaccine and will do so soon,” said Saifuddin, adding that he and his wife had their first booster in January.

Retired teacher B. Parimala, 63, does not have any comorbidities and took her first booster last year.

While seniors without comorbidities can get a second booster with their doctor’s approval, Parimala said she would rather wait.

“I was a science teacher so I keep up to date with the latest news about the vaccine.

“I recently read that boosting too often and with the same type of vaccine could reduce one’s immunity, especially against new variants.

“So I’d rather wait than go for the second booster now,” she said.

Parimala, too, warned against adopting a lackadaisical attitude towards Covid-19.

“Long Covid is no joke. My former colleague has such bad scarring on her lungs that she gets winded just walking a short distance. We should all continue to keep ourselves protected,” she said. 

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