Covid-19: Focus on preventive measures, Sabah business owners told

By Olivia Miwil - May 5, 2020 @ 9:37am

Sabah Health Department (JKNS) director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi says the department received many enquiries from business owners about laboratory testing on workers, before reopening their businesses.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Health Department (JKNS) today urged employers to look into preventive measures at the workplace instead of solely relying on sample testing for Covid-19.

Its director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi said the department had received many enquiries from business owners about laboratory testing on workers, before reopening their businesses.

"JKNS is hoping that relevant parties do not take quick fixes by just focusing on laboratory results as part of the criteria to operate as usual.

"They have to prepare new guidelines to ensure the workforce is well, contain the spread of Covid-19 at the workplace and be able to handle the possibility of outbreak," she said in a statement.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one of the criteria to end the Movement Control Order was the capability of a nation to implement preventive measures at workplaces.

Among the measures included restriction of movement, social distancing, face mask usage and hand hygiene.

Dr Christina added that those practices have to be implemented immediately to ensure that it would become part of the workers' habit after the MCO was lifted.

"JKNS will also implement changes for health facilities by integrating preventive practices as a new norm.

"This includes social distancing and reducing crowded clinics by improving appointment-based services, optimising pharmacy value-added services, decentralise laboratory services and scheduled disinfection activities at all facilities."

Meanwhile, although there were only 44 active cases in Sabah, Dr Christina said the fight against Covid-19 was far from over.