Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by MrSyakir

Should Selangor shut factories which violate SOPs?

MrSyakir — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 23:17:19 +0800

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/loca...2%80%94-zuraida
The local authorities (PBTs) have the power to close down factories that violate the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs), said Housing and Local Government (KPKT) Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin.

She said PBTs could enforce the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act (Act 342) together with the Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171).

What I think Selangor can learn from Penang

MrSyakir — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 21:33:08 +0800

inb4 tl;dr, terima kasih tapi anda bukan kerajaan

Penang like Selangor, has an urban society, very mobile population, high sporadic cases, high population density and kilang

Covid situation

Penang
1st June 2021 - 400 new cases
8th July - 237
Penang is in Phase 2 of NRP
ICU utilisation is 71% in Penang

Selangor
1st June 2021 - 2068 new cases
8th July - 4152
Selangor is in EMCO
ICU utilisation - almost 130% in Selangor

Penang's covid situation is definitely more in control compared to Selangor.

I think Selangor govt can follow these few things that I notice Penang does

1) Have a leader that gives the public Covid updates
Penang CM, Chow Kon Yeow, updates the public on the Covid situation in the state. For exanple, he talks on infectivity rate "though the R-naught (R-t) for Penang as of May 23 is the lowest in the country at 1.06, the number of cases since last week has remained high" and explain to the people why movement restriction is necessary "As stated before this, although the decisions may not be popular and may restrict mass movements, they need to be taken to ensure the people of Penang continue to remain safe

2) Ensure SOP compliance among the people to prevent infection
Penang CM reminds people to follow SOP. For exanple, he reminded folks that "self lockdown' was the most important approach to break the chain of Covid-19 infections at present. During Ramadhan, he clearly explained to bazaar goers "Kita gembira kerana Pulau Pinang dibenarkan mengadakan bazar Ramadan, namun sama ada kebenaran itu akan diberikan terus sepanjang bulan Ramadan ini, ia bergantung kepada tindakan kita sendiri dalam pematuhan SOP". Local government has street teams that patrol public spaces and ensure SOPs like distancing and mask wearing is practiced.

3) Urge factories to improve SOP
Since last year, Penang focus on reducing cluster cases in the manufacturing and construction sector. For example, in November, Penang told factories to form a Jawatankuasa Protokol Tindak Balas Kecemasan so that factories have an action plan when an employee is Covid positive. State government also reminded factory operators not to allow employees with symptoms to to attend work. Local government is instructed to enforce SOP compliance among factories, where almost 50 factories were shut from January to March this year. Penang also does screening at factories and construction sites

Putting it all together - The leader keeps everyone focused and updated, reducing confusion among the public and makes people feel reassured. Self lockdown and community SOP compliance target sporadic cases and community infection. Improving SOP compliance in factories targets cluster cases. Early detection of cluster allows quick tracing and isolation, preventing infection from spilling into the community. Result - Covid situation doesn't deteriorate (hopefully remains so)

If Selangor hire me as a CONsultant, I would suggest Selangor emulate Penang and see if that can improve the situation here. That said, the gold standard in Covid management is still Perlis but Penang is ok too

sos

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Should Selangor remind people to follow SOP?

MrSyakir — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 17:37:50 +0800

I notice in Perlis, Penang and Terengganu, they have someone from the state level consistently remind people to follow SOP.

Should Selangor have someone to educate and remind people to follow SOP? Or is there someone already doing that role?

Penang

1,657 premises in Penang shut (by MBPP and MBSP) for SOP violation since MCO 1.0
https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/1657...iolation-mco-10

Chow: Penang factories urged to comply with stricter operating SOP. Meanwhile, Chow said a 'self lockdown' was the most important approach to break the chain of Covid-19 infections at present.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/05/...r-operating-sop

Perlis

All heads of household need to constantly advise its members to strictly adhere to the standard operating procedure (SOP) to curb the spread of Covid-19
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/household-...-muda-JL7926586

Terengganu

Covid-19 thriving in Terengganu because people ignore SOPs, says state health director
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021...health-director

Is this one of Perlis's secret for managing Covid?

MrSyakir — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 13:17:49 +0800

🤔🤔
Pocket-sized ultrasound device for early detection of Covid-19
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...on-of-covid-19/

KANGAR: If there is a tool that can increase efficiency and lighten the burden of overworked frontliners battling Covid-19, shouldn’t doctors embrace it?

According to Hospital Tuanku Fauziah’s (HTF) advanced acute internal medicine consultant Dr Paras Doshi, a pocket-sized ultrasound device is already in use in Malaysian hospitals as a diagnostic tool for the early detection of Covid-19 complications.

He said it is compatible with smartphones and tablets, and gives doctors more freedom of movement.

Paras said patients will not have to go for an imaging test of their organs, like the heart, lungs and kidneys, using bulky equipment like a computerised tomography (CT) scanner because the portable device serves the purpose.

Dr Paras Doshi.
He said it reduces the risk of frontliners and patients catching the virus as the diagnosis can be done on the spot.

The Malaysian Advanced Acute Internal Medicine and Ultrasound Society (Maaimuss) president said a quicker diagnosis can reduce ward admissions.

“Hence, only patients who need treatment, like Covid-19 patients, will be admitted,” he said.

Paras said HTF in Kangar is among the pioneers of this technology and has seen ward admissions to its emergency department drop by 62% compared to the past.

“It hasn’t just reduced overcrowding in the ward, but cost and hospitalisation time too, allowing resources to be used for Covid-19 patients,” he said.

He said the Malaysian Advanced Acute Internal Medicine and Ultrasound Society, which is under the patronage of the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, had been entrusted with conducting training webinars to show doctors how to use the device.

The device, he said, would come in particularly handy for hospitals in the interior. “For example, if there is a Covid-19 case in a remote hospital in Lahad Datu, Sabah, the medical officer can make an early diagnosis without needing to transfer the patient to a bigger hospital.

The results of the examination can then be shared with a specialist doctor and thereby develop a treatment plan for the patient.

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Do people around you wear mask properly?

MrSyakir — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 13:30:14 +0800

Do people around you wear mask properly?

Challenges faced by contact tracers

MrSyakir — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 13:47:32 +0800

contact tracing is the process of identifying people that a COVID-19 patient has come in contact with in the last two weeks. the thankless job is done by contact tracers (eg medical assistant). Below are the challenges they faced

1) Some of the patients may take hours in trying to remember their contacts.
2) Some are dishonest and would even manipulate information or give wrong phone numbers – this happens all the time
3) Some patients don't remember where they have been to the day before " saya tak tahu", "saya lupa"
4) Some ordered family and staff to not tell contact tracers anything
5) Some harass contact tracers - calling them gila
6) Some patients refuse to follow them to the quarantine centres or hospitals after they arrive to pick them up at their homes
7) Language barrier

sos
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...ontact-tracing/
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid...9&id=1826641927

Covid 19: Should we remove requirements for GPs?

MrSyakir — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 14:44:53 +0800

Dr G. Shanmuganathan, honorary secretary of the Private Medical Practitioners' Associations, Malaysia (FPMPAM), shares the requirements that made it difficult for private GPs to register as Covid vaccinators.

Dr Gan Siaw Chien, project manager for Covid-19 vaccines at ProtectHealth explains why the requirements are needed.
sos: https://codeblue.galencentre.org/2021/05/03...19-vaccinators/

Should we do away with requirements/red tapes and just give all private GPs the Covid 19 vaccines?

Fridge requirement
GPs who do not have a fridge to store Covid-19 vaccines at between two and six degrees Celsius will have to buy one. Not all GPs will have fridge, mostly won’t have. A fridge can cost about RM4k above.

Government says best practice was a pharmaceutical top loading refrigerator that can easily maintain temperatures at two to eight degrees Celsius, but ProtectHealth is willing to facilitate GPs by allowing them to use lower-spec fridges with temperature data loggers to monitor temperatures at two to eight degrees Celsius.

Vaccine collection
GPs have to collect the Covid-19 vaccine from one vaccine storage centre every Tuesday at 9am which adds difficulty for private GPs

Govt says there are 600 Covid-19 vaccine storage sites (PSV) nationwide. GPs will be directed to the nearest one, usually within 5km from their clinic. Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine is stored in 55 ultra-cold temperature freezers across the country. “We don’t allow staggered collection because of best practice in cold chain management. A fridge that is storing all the vaccines is not supposed to be opened frequently"

2 computers needed
You need two computers at the same time. We have a clinic computer but you also need another PC because of two different registrations. You can’t use the same computer for both the steps. One computer is for patients to register and the other is for entering patients information into another portal called MyVAS.

Government said two computers are needed for GPs administering coronavirus vaccines because vaccine recipients’ identities must first be verified. After vaccination, GPs must record which batch of vaccines was given to the recipient so that any rare side effects can be traced.

Should we stop arresting undocumented migrants?

MrSyakir — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 15:30:53 +0800

Detention of migrants will not help Covid-19 fight, says NGO

A petition has been submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) urging the government to stop operations to arrest undocumented migrants because it will further complicate the efforts to fight Covid-19.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...fight-says-ngo/

Should govt bypass NPRA for Covid 19 vaccine?

MrSyakir — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 20:34:53 +0800

Some quarters are pushing for government to bypass NPRA and approve any vaccines that have been approved by WHO and other countries. The approval can always be revoked if problems emerge with a particular product.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...er-and-dg-told/

Do you agree?

Role and functions of NPRA
1) To implement the drug registration / cosmetic notification scheme through evaluation of technical data, laboratory analysis, research and information received from international agencies.

2) To carry out analytical, pharmaceutical, microbiological and pharmacological tests on drugs and cosmetics to determine quality, efficacy and safety of such products.

3) To implement the regulatory scheme on quality of pharmaceutical products in the market through random sampling and carrying out analytical tests.

Will full lockdown hurt your livelihood?

MrSyakir — Fri, 28 May 2021 21:11:20 +0800

So how..

Delaying second dose of Pfizer?

MrSyakir — Sat, 22 May 2021 16:28:11 +0800

Pro - vaccinating more people at the start
Con - Experts said that with only one dose administered, there may be a higher chance for mutant strains to emerge

Sos

Cases rising, what should Klang Valley do?

MrSyakir — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 13:15:12 +0800

Share what you think..

When should MCO ends?

MrSyakir — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 06:15:48 +0800

Share your thoughts

Where is the best, authentic Nasi Kandar in KL

MrSyakir — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 08:52:36 +0800

Let us all know

If public transport is good, will you still buycar

MrSyakir — Sun, 27 Oct 2019 15:18:49 +0800

Public vs car

All overtaking lane in highway convert to bus lane

MrSyakir — Sun, 27 Oct 2019 04:52:15 +0800

Will u support such effort?

Which live action Joker is the best?

MrSyakir — Sat, 26 Oct 2019 01:30:48 +0800

Do you support govt ban vape?

MrSyakir — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 05:40:53 +0800

It seems like vape is under consideration to be banned.. do you support it?

Are you excited for Malaysia's flying car?

MrSyakir — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 23:39:55 +0800

Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Redzuan has made a big promise -- flying car. If he delivers, it will be one of the most janji ditepati moment in Malaysia's history. He would be PM8 candidate

Do you think bicycle lane is useless?

MrSyakir — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 15:13:27 +0800

The bicycle lane is quite expensive.. in Georgetown.. costs RM30m to paint.. I believe covered walkway more relevant for malaysians especially to bus stops and train stations for klang valley