Airlines must ensure passengers to Sabah, Sarawak undergo screening – Health DG

by BERNAMA/ pic by BERNAMA

AIRLINE companies must ensure that every passenger goes through health screening at the airport, before boarding and after alighting from an aircraft, to curb the spread of COVID-19.

“The important thing is passengers must be screened before and after they have reached their destinations in Sabah and Sarawak,” Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said at the COVID-19 daily press conference here yesterday.

He said among measures which could be taken at the airport were to conduct screening using a thermal scanner, which over 50 percent of the time, had been able  detect if a person shows symptoms of a fever.

“That is one way to reduce the spread of COVID-19. It is not advisable for those having a fever to board a plane,” he added.

Dr Noor Hisham was commenting on reports that Malaysia Airlines would be resuming its weekly flights to Sabah and Sarawak beginning next week

Meanwhile, he said the government’s decision not to allow Ramadan bazaars to operate this year, was to ensure that people do not gather in large groups while buying food.

“The problem lies in the customers because when they come out to shop, the situation will get out of control.  We have discussed on various alternatives, one of them is having the e-bazaar.

“Times have changed, and we are now making use of online platforms such as grab food and so forth. So this is one way to resolve the Ramadan bazaar issue and we feel e-bazaars will be able to meet MOH’s criteria in ensuring no mass gathering when shopping for food and what-nots,” he said.