SIBU, April 22: Government departments and agencies here will be receiving a circular instructing them to close their pantries.
Sibu Divisional Disaster Management Committee (SDDMC) coordinator Dr Annuar Rapaee said at a press conference today that Sibu Acting Resident Wong Hee Sieng would be sending out this circular soonest.
Present at the press conference were Wong and Sibu district health officer Dr Teh Jo Hun.
Dr Annuar explained closing off pantries is necessary as it had been found that Covid-19 infections took place in this small room.
“Pantries are small areas and usually people don’t wear masks when inside it. We strongly advise all staff not to eat at pantries,” he said.
The Nangka assemblyman also wanted employers to get their supporting staff including security guards, drivers and cleaners to take Covid-19 swab tests.
“But we are not blaming you as the cause for transmission. We just want to find the root of transmission,” he said.
He observed that company drivers are in a high risk group as they are constantly moving around and they could form a new cluster, if they are infected.
He advised that supporting staff go through two screenings as usually the first screening would not be able to detect the coronavirus.
“I strongly advise employers to get their employees to follow strictly the SOP (standard operating procedure) because if employers don’t do that, they might form a new cluster,” he said.
On the recent issue of malfunctioning ventilators being sent to Sibu Hospital, he said the Health Ministry had responded by sending 11 new machines. — DayakDaily
