KUCHING: The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) is planning a programme to determine high-risk areas to screen to curb the spread of Covid-19 within the community.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said that SDMC had discussed with the State Health Department (JKNS) yesterday morning on this programme.
“Yesterday (Monday), we were informed that there are a few areas which are considered high-risk areas, such as schools, tadika (kindergartens), taska (nurseries), and old age homes.
“We will also look into construction sites and plantations as there are many workers, including foreign workers, there. Therefore, we will decide on what further action needs to be taken,” he said during an interview with Radio Televisyen Malaysia’s (RTM) radio station SarawakFM yesterday.
He said that starting Monday, JKNS had taken random samples at construction sites all over Sarawak for screening and to determine if the virus had spread to these areas.
Speaking of the key challenges faced in handling Covid-19 in Sarawak, he said the first challenge was to ensure that the community adhered to the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Uggah, who is also SDMC chairman, said that the community might be under the impression that the situation had returned to pre Covid-19 circumstances, in view of the reopening of various sectors and activities as well as zero cases being reported for 11 days recently.
“Many think that the virus is no longer around and some irresponsible parties are not complying with the SOPs. We have received feedback that some people are already shaking hands and hugging.
“We hope that the people of Sarawak will keep in mind that Covid-19 is still in Sarawak, especially in Kuching, so we must all adhere to the SOPs,” he urged, adding that adherence to the guidelines should not be due to fear of being punished but instead to ensure one’s health and that of one’s family.
He said that another challenge was contact tracing, explaining that SDMC wanted to detect all close contacts of positive cases with the aim of screening them.
“If the results are positive, they will undergo treatment. If results are negative, then at least we know that the spread is limited,” said Uggah.
