WITH new Covid-19 cases having declined to the double digits and the movement-control order (MCO) now in the recovery phase, the onus shifts from medical and security personnel to enforce restrictions and man roadblocks, to the public to practise social distancing and other measures drummed into our heads since the pandemic broke out.

These steps, however, aren’t always uniform, and the numerous information providers available in today’s high-tech world make things all the more confusing.

Some public places only take people’s temperature, while others ask for visitors’ personal details as well. There are businesses that just require you to log in to one of the many tracker apps out there. At some malls, multiple log-ins are needed, and others, none at all. Certain international chains have increased to 2.5m the distance customers must keep from one another, but there are also shops that, despite displaying signs, don’t actually enforce a limit on the number of patrons on the premises at one time or how long they are allowed there.

Measures announced by the government, too, have sometimes flip-flopped. For instance, the quarantine requirement for returning Malaysians – from self-quarantine, to a fixed location, and back again to self-quarantine. Likewise, we saw travel curbs being imposed and lifted in a span of 24 hours.

Further complicating matters, state governments and local authorities are given latitude to tweak standard operating procedures and decide on implementation, as is the case with reopening houses of worship, among other sectors. These discrepancies should be sorted out, with proper coordination. Now that interstate travel is no longer barred, a relaxation of the rules in one state but not another could cause an influx of people from the latter to the former to pray, get a haircut or crack open a cold one with friends.

Besides, uniformity allows people to plan their activities better, especially in localities with high traffic movement between them, like Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. This can be done by using the colour-coded maps indicating risk levels that were employed in the early stages of movement controls, but modified to suit the latest iteration of the MCO. An area known to be a convergence point with strong footfall should automatically have higher vigilance than, say, a quiet suburb. The different protocol levels can be communicated and enforced by local and state authorities, meaning they have the power, or at the very least, the trust, to advise on changes.

A lack of resources shouldn’t be an excuse, as that would put people at varying degrees of risk for the same activity. Therefore, help should be given to small and medium enterprises to level up their measures to meet those of big companies.

Applying the same protocols across the board also means lower implementation costs. A shared interface between the various tracking apps, perhaps with a platform developed by the government, will greatly assist this. The parallel development of tools was understandable when everyone was doing their best with little direction then, but we’re long past that stage. App developers should team up and roll out a standardised product that will boost tracing efforts. A feature to be considered is self-tracking, to check if the locations one has been to have active Covid-19 cases or are deemed compromised.

The government has to play enabler and enforcer, striking a balance between the two. After all, we’re in a marathon, not a sprint, and everyone needs to make it to the finish line. – June 17, 2020.

* Emmanuel Joseph firmly believes that Klang is the best place on Earth, and that motivated people can do far more good than any leader with motive.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.