Kota Kinabalu: Sabah is expected to receive the new antiviral drug to treat Covid-19 in two weeks, said State Health Director Datuk Dr Rose Nani Mudin.
She said the drug is normally provided to patients in Categories 1 and 2.
“But we have to wait for the Ministry of Health (MOH) guidelines,” she said after the presentation of Hari Raya Aidilfitri cakes and goodies to security forces personnel and health workers by the Chief Minister at Menara Kinabalu, here, Wednesday.
The MOH announced on April 11 that the first shipment of the antiviral drug to treat Covid-19 had arrived in Malaysia.
A total of 48,000 boxes of Pfizer Paxlovid pills were supplied to Pharmaniaga Logistic Sdn Bhd, according to Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
Covid-19 patients aged 18 and above who are not in the high-risk category and do not require oxygen therapy are recommended to take the pills.
Asked about the medication’s side effects, Dr Rose said the side effects, if any, have been assessed by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency.
“We will monitor patients who are given such pills,” she said.
Meanwhile, the State Health Department is prepared for the scheduled arrival of tourists from Singapore on April 16.
“We are well prepared. We conducted a simulation two weeks ago with all of the agencies involved in the reopening of the country’s borders,” she said.
She said the department has non-medical workers, as well as volunteers known as the MySejahtera Helpdesk team, and a medical team on standby at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
Checking travellers’ MySejahtera is one of the team’s responsibilities.
“I understand that when the Kuala Lumpur International Airport reopened, it was discovered that many travellers had not updated their MySejahtera, thus our personnel would be on hand to assist them in updating their MySejahtera.
“Our non-medical team and volunteers will check if their MySejahtera is up to date whereas our medical team is available to help, for example, by checking immunisation status,” she said.
In terms of the Rapid Test Antigen Kit (RTK), DR Rose said agents have been appointed by Malaysian Airport Berhad to do the RTK test at the point of entry.
“Travellers must take the RTK test, which they can perform either at the point of entry or outside at a listed clinic.
“For example, if travellers want to get to their hotels right away, they can conduct the RTK test in the hotel because the hotel also engages private practitioners to perform the test at the hotels or in dedicated clinics,” she explained.
Foreigners who transit in Kuala Lumpur before arriving in Sabah are still considered as international travellers, said Dr Rose.
“If they don’t complete their MySejahtera the next day after they have arrived, their MySejahtera will turn red, and they won’t be able to travel around in Sabah,” she said.
Those who test positive must isolate themselves for seven days (if fully vaccinated and boosted) and 10 days if they are not.
She said the vaccination rate among children in Sabah is 24.4 per cent for children aged five to 12.
“The number is still low but we are continuing our efforts to provide vaccines through schools, outreach groups and our 190 vaccination centres across Sabah,” she said.
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