In the past few days, panic has risen over the whole Covid-19 pandemic with many sharing unverified stories via WhatsApp and other social media sites.

There was 'news' about Malakof Corporations Berhad having to close its office in KL Sentral due to Covid-19, which the company later denied. Then, there was the one about Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah asking people to avoid Pantai and Bangsar areas, which he later also denied.


We're not sure what triggered the first rumour, but we're assuming the second one emarged after the case of a nurse in a private hospital infected with Covid-19 was reported.

The nurse was the first healthcare professional in the country to be infected after having "close contact" with a patient with Covid-19.

What is 'close contact' with a Convid-19 patient?

This brings us to the question: what does "close contact" mean and when should you start worrying?

Should you start panicking if someone in your building shook hands with someone who is suspected of Covid-19? Of course not.

The building management should do the necessary clean-up and everyone should be on guard for any signs of the disease, and perhaps stay home if you're sick (something you should be doing even without the threat of Covid-19) but don't panic.


According to a report by Malay Mail, 'close contact' in this instant means having been within two meters of someone with Covid-19 for at least two hours.

The information came from former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad. He made the statemet to help allay the fears of those who came in contact with an infected Khazanah National executive, as well as an ex-minister and his deputy, both of whom have been cleared of any suspected infection since.


There you have it, guys. Stay vigilant but avoid spreading fake news and panic, please.