The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
– FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, USA’S 32ND PRESIDENT
Last week a young man confronted me at sundry shop and said it was an offence to go around “mask-less”.
Since this was the height of the coronavirus fight, he said I should be responsible and not flout the law of the country.
Thinking that this white-bearded man with flip flops was an ang mo he said: “This is Malaysia, do not think this is your country.”
I tried to explain that I am Malaysian and that face masks did nothing more than give the user a sense of false security; that he is well protected and would be the last person to contract the virus.
He was peeved!
So, I left it at that and double-checked my facts!
I discovered that my friend may have been partially correct because using a mask had its advantages and disadvantages.
Apparently wearing masks outside and at home can reduce the odds of family members or housemates becoming ill.
But the study said that wearing masks at home could interfere with things like sleep, eating and brushing teeth.
However, it added that keeping masks on all the time could be uncomfortable and segregate yourself from family and friends.
I also learned that a mask is no longer protective after wearing it for three hours. So, in a day, one may have to use more masks.
A brochure also gave instructions on how to use the mask for maximum protection.
It read: “Wearers must wash their hands before they put on a mask, and more importantly, after they take it off and dispose of it.”
On top of that, masks had to be disposed of correctly in order to avoid it being reused.
One question often asked is are disposable masks better than surgical masks. The answer is “Yes”.
Why? Disposable masks cost RM2 each and surgical masks can cost as much as RM80.
The reason is because wearing a respirator correctly is harder than wearing a surgical mask correctly.
Meanwhile, in our enthusiasm to “import” cheap masks from certain countries, has any national authority such as Sirim checked whether these masks are safe? Don’t forget some masks impair smooth breathing.
Malaysia has more to worry about other health issues which bog the nation.
Did you know that last year alone Malaysia had an all-time record of 119,198 cases of dengue fever which caused 162 deaths?
That means an average of 359 cases every day — a record that we cannot be proud of.
Another zoonotic disease we have overlooked is leptospirosis or rat-urine disease which is an emerging problem in the country.
A Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) said that several recent incidents of the disease have resulted in an increase in human mortality which have alarmed health professionals in Malaysia.
Leptospirosis occurs mainly in forested regions and is associated with the bacteria infecting small wild mammals other than rats.
Loggers are at greater risk of being infected by the virus because of the poor hygienic conditions in the remote timber camps. A good example was in 2015 when Sarawak had the second highest number of cases of “Lepto” in the country.
I have lived long enough in Sarawak to know that there are more rats than cats in Kuching. They thrive in the open air markets as well as the many squatter homes around the city.
Apart from Kuching which has rats moving around, the rodents of famous sea-food open air markets such as Buntal and Muara Tebas, also rule the roost.
And we are not talking about Serian, Simanggang, Sarikei, Sibu, Kapit, Bintulu, Miri, Limbang and Lawas.
Now that the open air markets are empty, where are the fogging teams responsible for flushing out the rodents? Or are they also in lockdown?
Which brings me to the story of when I visited the home of a poor squatter and almost gulped down a cup of black coffee which tasted sour!
Fortunately, I spotted floating debris in my cuppa and using a spoon to see what it was, fished out a blob of rat shit.
My friend apologised and gave me a new cup of coffee, and I accepted it gladly because I’m sure he would not have made the same mistake the second time.
I’m telling you this story to highlight the poor living conditions in the city’s squatter colonies.
I have lived with a number of ailments over the last 30 years, which would scare the wits out of anyone during this pandemic.
I have acute bronchitis, a dash of asthma and am prone to catching the flu virus! For this reason, I have a full medicine chest of anti-flu tablets, mucus solvents, lung tablets, and a variety of inhalers.
On a normal day I avoid shaking hands with anyone with the sniffles or a light cough because I am prone to catching the virus.
But on a bad day if I let my guard down to shake hands with a long-lost friend, I may fall sick!
In three weeks, I will be a member of the “Seven Series” — and happy to be able to continue to give the old timers encouragement that I am still alive and kicking.
As the good book says every year after 70 is a bonus!
So, it’s time to celebrate.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the New Sarawak Tribune.
