Photo via CK Yeo from Unsplash.
Starting today, Malaysia imposed a strict lockdown on its country.
The region avoided the first Covid-19 wave, thanks largely to decisive action: closing borders, issuing curbs. However, Southeast Asia has become the new Covid-19 epicentre, as their efforts to curb outbreaks have been impeded by recent Covid outbreaks, glacial slow vaccine rollouts, and citizens who have restriction fatigue.
Malaysia has been hit particularly hard. The region has had almost 3 thousand deaths and over half a million infections with a population of 32 million. Religious gatherings have added fuel to the fire that already had heat and oxygen. The country is now in what officials call a “total lockdown”. Only essential businesses are allowed to stay open, such as supermarkets and medical clinics. Schools are mostly closed. Traveling throughout the country has been reduced to a distant memory since it was banned months ago.
Despite mounting calls for tougher action, the new lockdown will intensify the struggle for many businesses that were already barely getting by. 42 year old Lilian Chua, who owns a hair salon, calls the effects of Covid-19 on small businesses like her own “devastating”.
Under 6% of Malaysia’s population has received the initial dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
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