THERE have been a number of references to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in recent days.

Foremost is the reference by the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia (AMM), which criticised the practice of public sanitation first carried out in March last year, adding that there is no evidence of its efficacy.

“In fact, the US CDC has debunked the public sanitation approach, stating that spraying cleaning products or disinfectants in outdoor areas such as on sidewalks, roads or ground cover is not necessary, effective or recommended,” AMM said.

The AMM also cited the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) alert on the hazards of public disinfection exercise, which stated that spraying or fogging certain chemicals including formaldehyde, chlorine-based agent or quaternary ammonium is not recommended due to adverse health effects.

“Both the CDC and WHO have acknowledged that Covid-19 is an airborne virus. This has led to the creation of ventilation guidelines in many countries, including Singapore,” it added.

At the same time, the AMM supports Universiti Malaya professor of medicine Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, who had earlier said that large-scale sanitisation of roads and open spaces was “a waste of time and money”.

The CDC works 24/7 to provide the American public with timely and accurate health information, responding to public health emergencies and natural disasters, and monitoring the spread of dangerous and life-threatening diseases.

If the CDC is a good source of advice on the Covid-19 pandemic, then this is what it says on safe activities when one is fully vaccinated (updated May 28):

• If you are fully vaccinated, you can resume activities that you did before the pandemic.
• Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.

The CDC defines full vaccination as two weeks after receiving the second shot of a two-dose vaccine or two weeks after getting a single-shot vaccine.

However, the WHO remains cautious, as are many public health experts. “To be on the safe side,” says Cynthia Leifer, associate professor of immunology at Cornell University, “we should still practise distancing measures as much as we can in the shorter term until we get broader distribution of the vaccine.” She recommends people continue to follow the guidelines of avoiding large groups, wearing masks and observing physical distancing.

Now, aren’t MPs fully vaccinated?

How would the independent special committee, established under section 2(1) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 [PU(A) 12/2021], advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong? On the sitting – if not the dissolution – of the Dewan Rakyat and the state assemblies? – June 4, 2021.

* 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.