I AGREE with Emmanuel Joseph that new strategies are needed to handle the Covid-19 pandemic.

I have shared my thoughts when the conditional movement control order (CMCO) – first announced to be in force from May 4 to 13 – was to be further extended for another four weeks until June 9, the regulations which had enforced the movement control orders (MCO) needed to take in new form and shape.

Simply put, it was time for new regulations.

I also wrote that the regulations in the UK and Singapore offer us model regulations to work on.

Seriously.

When Emmanuel calls for new strategies, it must include new regulations, which can be regulations to restrict gatherings, especially outdoors.

In England, it’s the rule of six; in Singapore it’s the rule of five.

The phrase “rule of six” was used by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson when he announced a ban on meetings of groups of more than six people in England, applying outdoors and indoors from September 14.

Johnson further warned that there would be on-the-spot fines of £100 (RM535), which would double on repeat offences to as much as £3,200, for those breaking the rules, which he said were to “avoid a second national lockdown”.

The announcement came about after the UK’s reproduction or R number escalated to between one and 1.2 for the first time since March.

R is a way of rating Covid-19 or any disease’s ability to spread.

It’s the number of people to whom one infected person will pass on a virus, on average.

Coronavirus has a reproduction number of about three if no action is taken to stop it spreading.

However, it wasn’t just an announcement of the government’s measures, or strategies if you like, to handle the daily spike in new cases – more than 3,000 positive tests for three consecutive days.

It was made into law by amending the regulations on Covid-19.

Regulation 5 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2020 was amended to stipulate that no person may participate in a gathering that consists of more than six people unless the exceptions in the regulations apply. It was the rule of 30 before September 14.

My point is: it cannot just be strategies or measures. The rule of law demands that measures that affect the rights and liberties of the people must be legal.

It cannot just be standard operating procedures (SOPs). Once legal, the measures must be strictly enforced.

Since the rule of six has been the law in England, even former British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been caught dining with eight other people in a dinner party that blatantly disregarded the rule.

As Emmanuel duly notes, Malaysians have a habit of window shopping and hanging out at late-night eateries.

With the cases climbing to new record highs, shouldn’t we consider the rule of five or six, among others?

Consider also new regulations to empower enforcement officers to order the closure of premises which are in breach of the law.

I have said this before but it’s worth saying again: it is time for new regulations.

* Hafiz Hassan reads The Malaysian Insight.

* 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.