Everyone has own story about dealing with Covid-19, isolation and all kinds of misperceptions
YOUNG school-leaver Brandon Ranggi was thinking about taking up a diploma course just before the declaration of the nationwide Movement Control Order (MCO) on March 18 last year.
“I sat for the SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) examinations the year before and was contemplating over pursuing diploma studies when the MCO 1.0 took effect early 2020.
“After that, everything was put on hold – my parents agreed that I could work part-time as a bakery assistant in Miri, and that after work, I must head straight back home.
“I couldn’t go out and meet friends,” the youth told thesundaypost.
Brandon is among thousands of SPM holders whose plans to enter tertiary education have to be put on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing phases of the MCO.
Pre-vaccination concerns
Regina Ranti noticed that despite the strict standard operating procedures (SOP) being laid out by the authorities, not everybody was compliant with the directive.
She understood that as the situation got more serious, the government had to extend the MCO period.
“Still, not everyone adhered to the rules.
“I noticed there were so many parents bringing their children to the supermarkets – it was appalling, given that at the time, the vaccines were still under development stage.
“I was fearful all the time; I sanitised myself all the time, wore my mask, washed my hands regularly, and kept my social distancing.
“Still, I get scared seeing how close people are between one another in a queue – some even touch their neighbours. It is so dangerous!”
Regina said the situation had not been ‘friendly’ to the self-dependent individuals over the age of 60.
“We, who are under this vulnerable group, must prepare a complete list before leaving our house to get the essential things; we must buy everything quickly and go home immediately after we’re done shopping.
“It’s crucial that we follow all the safety measures, because if we’re safe, others would be safe as well.
“That’s my stand. I must protect my family, especially my grandchildren.”
Regina said it was a relief to see that recently, the majority of supermarkets in Miri had begun to enforce greater control over their operations by tightening the SOP such as allowing only 50 customers inside the premises at any one and using the numbering system.
“For me, it helps make for a safer and less anxious shopping experience during these stressful times.”
‘Our quarantine stories’
A local priest, requesting for non-disclosure of his name and parish, told the writer via WhatsApp: “I had been very sick in the hospital for more than 21 days – turned out, I had been exposed to the virus and the Ministry of Health (MoH), having studied my data on MySejahtera, sent me here (quarantine centre).
“It was an uncomfortable experience because the infection affected my throat, but God helped pull me through it.
“It was a struggle not only for me, but also the hospital employees, who were overworked. “They had to don full protective personal equipment (PPE) clothing made from synthetic materials, which are not really suitable in our country’s weather.
“It must have been near-unbearable and highly uncomfortable for them to be covered from head to toe while at work every day, but I was really glad that they remained cheerful and helpful – their pleasant personalities had helped me a lot during my stay.
“I’ll be honest – death was in my thoughts of course. Nevertheless, I grew better every day, praise be to God.”
Serena Atong was among 16 villagers who were rushed to the quarantine centre in Miri following detection of confirmed Covid-19 cases at her longhouse in Beluru.
“All of us had undergone swab-testing twice – the first was upon arrival at the centre, followed by another testing three days later.
“We all slept on bunk-beds and had food sent to us.
“We managed to bring our own supply of Panadol (paracetamols), just in case. Fortunately, none of us got sick.
“Towards the end of the quarantine period, we received the good news about all of us having tested negative for Covid-19.
“We were set for returning home; the MoH personnel had already cut off our Covid-19 quarantine wristbands, but alas, we could not go back because the MoH had detected more positive cases in our longhouse.
“We ended up extending our stay at the isolation centre.”
Many food outlet operators volunteer to prepare daily meals for individuals at quarantine centres in Miri.
John Thomas was ordered to undergo the 14-day quarantine at a hotel in Miri upon arrival from overseas. He had come home for the Gawai holidays, and had to wait for his next posting after that.
“I stayed quietly in my hotel room. Food was sent upstairs and hanged on the door knob.
“All the staff members were highly professional.
“After 10 days, I was declared ‘clean’. I then called my family in Marudi and they were very happy to know that I would see them soon.
“I brought home tons of face masks, sanitisers and other hygiene stuff. For us, the able-bodied ones, we have to be careful during this period – we must never let our guard down.
“We must keep clear of the virus and protect all our family members.”
Most hotels in Miri are ready to accept quarantine cases.
Three months in isolation
The lockdown announced this year had caught Alexander Isut unawares.
At the time, he was with his wife at his oil palm estate in Pakan near Sarikei town, which he had owned for more than 10 years.
Knowing that it was already too late for him to apply for an inter-district travel permit to head back to Miri, he chose to stay in Pakan.
“It was a total isolation for almost three months, but it was good isolation as we did a lot of farming.
“We had enough to eat, as we’re able to forage for wild vegetables around the estate and its surrounding areas, and also, we grew our own vegetables.”
Lockdown in Brunei
Bintulu native David Wong recalled his lockdown time in Brunei: “In my line of work, I had to be quarantined on and off. I have been away from home for a long time now. I do feel that I am closer to my youngest daughter, because every evening, both of us would have a very heart-warming conversation conducted virtually. The Zoom sessions keep my family and I spiritually connected. Of course, we miss each other physically, as the children keep on asking for me.
“The lockdown has closed Brunei-Sarawak borders, which is very hard on everyone, especially the young families.
“I have friends who work for three days a month in Labuan. Each stint requires 14 days of quarantine – one at home, and another at work. That means they’re quarantined for almost a month, just to work for three days!
“It is out of this world!
“A friend has decided to work as a cook, helping another friend. Now he does not have to worry about quarantine. This guy is a wonderful worker from Peninsular Malaysia. It must be terrible to be out of work in Sarawak, and also far away from one’s hometown during the lockdown.
“I am sure that there are many good workers like him around, both in Brunei and Sarawak. “Some cannot come back to work in Brunei; thus losing out in a good pay, which is pitiful.”
UK visit in 2020
Theresa Pui was visiting her daughter in the UK last year when the Covid-19 lockdown was suddenly imposed. She could not get any flight to return home then.
She had to be ‘detained’ in the UK for seven months before she was allowed to fly home – even upon arrival in Miri, she was required to undergo 14-day quarantine at the Meritz Hotel.
“The homecoming flight was smooth, and upon arrival, I was glad to be able to stay at a hotel for my quarantine. I’m even more thankful that I was not declared Covid-19 positive,” said Pui, who is a hawker.
Photo taken before the MCO show Pui getting her hawker van ready for the road.
What she had learned from her UK experience was that one must always be very careful. “Everything delivered to the house must be sanitised. Grandparents could not see their grandchildren. Every one stayed in, especially the older generation.
“We must be careful in order to be safe. No visitors were allowed – that’s the only way out of this pandemic.”
Pui had a swab-test administered on her upon arrival, and went through the mandatory quarantine where she again underwent a swab-test on Day 2, and another on Day 8.
Like her fellow travellers under quarantine, she was required to wear a wristband.
“I feel lucky to be placed at a good hotel with very good facilities,” she said.
‘Covid-19 victims are not criminals’
In a heartfelt recount, Serena told the writer: “Quarantine facilities should be clean and safe places. There are many whose experience during quarantine is not pleasant.
“It is a difficult time for all of us, including the frontliners, but there should be some elements of decency and universal love for all, especially in our diverse society.
“There should not be any differential treatment upon people who need to be quarantined.
“We are not Covid-19 criminals. The law of humanity must be extended to all those concerned.
“Now that vaccines are being rolled out, we might be nearer to achieving herd immunity, but we’re still bound by the ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ requirement.
“We still cannot go out and expose ourselves unnecessarily.
“And most importantly, we must not expose others to the coronavirus – that would be cruel carelessness.”
There must never be any discrimination and ill-treatment against those who need to be quarantined – they are not Covid-19 criminals, says Serena Atong. — Bernama photo
‘In 40 days’
In the ‘History of Quarantine’ section on the official website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (www.cdc.gov/quarantine/historyquarantine.html), it says that the practice of quarantine began during the 14th century as a means to protect coastal cities from plague epidemics – specifically the ‘Black Death’ plague. Ships arriving in Venice from infected ports were required to sit at anchor for 40 days before landing. This practice, called ‘quarantine’, was derived from the Italian words ‘quaranta giorni’, meaning ‘40 days’.
In addition, Merriam-Webster.com exhibits various connotations to the noun form ‘a period of 40 days’ such as ‘isolation of a ship to protect a port city from potential disease’; ‘a state of enforced isolation’; ‘restriction over movements of people and goods, intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests’; as well as ‘delay of implementation of a legal agreement’; and even ‘a period of religious significance, such as penance – in association with the period of time when Jesus spent fasting in the desert’.
The word is also used as a verb.
Moreover, Merriam-Webster also differentiates the definitions between ‘isolation’ and ‘quarantine’ – the former relates to separating sick individuals who have a communicable disease from those who are healthy; while the latter is separating and restricting the movement of well individuals who may have been exposed to a communicable disease to see if they could become ill.
Medical isolation is nothing new to the Iban community in Sarawak.
The term ‘diau kediri’ (live in seclusion) derives from the British colonial days when tuberculosis and leprosy patients were isolated in the hospital and even upon their release, they had to live alone – each in his or her own hut.
Many farmers choose to remain isolated in their own huts, away from the larger and more populated longhouses.
With regard to the word ‘quarantine’ having religious association, the Covid-19 pandemic has had many Muslim scholars – and also non-Muslim experts – citing this seemingly prophetic hadith (spoken words) by Prophet Muhammad: “If a plague breaks out in a region, do not go there; but if you are already there, do not come out of it.”
The pandemic has also generated interest in Ibnu Sina (980-1037) – or ‘Avicenna’, as he was known by the Europeans of his own era and centuries after that.
This Persian-Muslim scientist was famous for, amongst other things, for highly advocating quarantine for patients with infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis.
This very idea was rooted in Avicenna’s five-volume medical encyclopaedia ‘Al Qanun (The Canon) of Medicine’.