COVID-19 pandemic Archives

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COVID-19 pandemic

Expect stricter enforcement of the Movement Control Order from tomorrow

The purpose of the Movement Control Order (MCO) has been to limit movement of people so as to cut back the transmission of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Close contact allows the virus to spread and from just one infected person, hundreds more can be infected.

Today would have been the last day of the Movement Control Order (MCO) which was introduced on March 18. It has been tough on many people, especially those with small businesses that are very dependent on daily earnings. Everyone thought that it would be for 2 weeks and then the MCO would end and life would go back to ‘normal’.

Flattening the curve — *Why flattening the curve of new cases is crucial to winning the battle against COVID-19.*

But the numbers have continued to rise and even though we don’t have the frightening exponential increases in cases and deaths like in Italy or Spain, the fact remains that the ‘curve’ has not been flattened. This is the graphic representation of the number of cases and measures like the MCO and social distancing are meant to flatten the curve so that the number of cases can be lowered and the hospitals can then cope. In some other countries, the hospitals have been overwhelmed that doctors are facing the dilemma of who gets life-saving equipment and who does not and is likely to die.

We are actually luckier than people in other countries which have lockdowns and strict enforcement by police and soldiers. The MCO requires people to remain at home but it is still ‘reasonable’ in that those who are in need of food, additional essential supplies or medicine can still travel. They can go to get what they need and must then return, not wander around town and enjoy the empty roads.

Roads — *The roads may be great for driving because they are so empty but you cannot wander around during the MCO period.*

Yet there have been stubborn people who just do not understand how important following the MCO is. According to the authorities, they are about 3% of road-users but these 3% have made things worse for the rest of us. The extension of the MCO by another 2 weeks is not necessarily their fault as the situation has been difficult to overcome, though it has been said to be ‘stable’ with 150 to 200 new cases daily. But because of the indifference and stubbornness of those 3%, we will all face stricter controls from tomorrow.

The National Security Council has given assurance that there will not be a curfew although operating hours for supermarkets, grocery shops, convenience stores and petrol stations will be limited to between 8 am and 8 pm. The same applies to places selling food which have not been permitted to allow customers to eat on their premises; they can only offer takeaways or cater to orders sent by food delivery services.

So it is almost like a curfew and between 8 pm and 8 am, there should be no reason to leave your home unless you have a real emergency – like your wife is about to give birth or your grandfather is in urgent need of medical attention.

PDRM Roadblock — *From tomorrow, with stores ordered to be closed between 8 pm and 8 am, there should be no reason to be on the road at night.*

There are already restrictions on interstate travel but within towns and cities, things have been relaxed but it has been found that some people abuse the freedom permitted. For instance, some people from Penang island said they wanted to go to the mainland to buy groceries or their ‘favourite food’! As a result, the police will now limit the distance that can be travelled and if the destination is far away, you will be asked to turn around and find a store nearby.

Besides the restriction to one person in the vehicle doing the errands, the police will also check on temperatures of the drivers. Anyone found to have a fever will be immediately held back and send for screening. In this way, some of those who are carriers of the virus can be stopped from spreading it to others.

Red zones – areas with a large or sudden increase in cases – have been identified and the new strategy is to close off these areas. They may be whole districts like the one down in Johor or they may be a condominium complex like Menara City One in Kuala Lumpur. Residents are placed under an ‘Enhanced Movement Control Order’ which will make things unpleasant for them as they cannot leave at all.

To manage things better, the police are also closing off some roads and filtering vehicles into specific channels for easier checking. More roadblocks will be set up so if you think you can get by one with your ‘story’, the police at the next roadblock might not accept it.

Terengganu is also considering a new approach using car numbers as eligibility for travelling. The idea to reduce traffic numbers was to have vehicles with numberplates ending with odd numbers allowed on one day and even numbers only on the next day. However, the plan which was to have started tomorrow has been postponed pending further study.

Details of new procedures that will be stricter will be announced tomorrow, according to Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Meanwhile, Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah, the Health Ministry’s Director-General whom you see giving a briefing every day, has urged Malaysians to be more disciplined and abide by the MCO.

“It is really up to us. If all of us can come together as one, and stay at home, we at the Health Ministry can continue with public health activities and carrying out active case detection. We can increase testing and finding targeted groups, we test them and isolate them early. Then we can break the chain of Covid-19,” he said, adding that another extension of the MCO after April 14 would only be made after assessing the situation during the first week of April.

So please abide by the regulations and stay at home unless you have a valid reason to venture out. This is not a situation affecting just people in one city or state, it is nationwide and all Malaysians are having to go through it.

Perodua and Naza Group contribute to ‘war effort’ against COVID-19

Perodua recently provided additional support for the ongoing efforts of the staff at the Sungai Buloh Hospital which has been designated a major medical facility to handle COVID-19 cases. The carmaker sent 150 mattresses, 200 pillows and 250 pairs of rubber shoes to the hospital for use in its war against the coronavirus pandemic.

Paying tribute to the frontliners who have been working non-stop to save lives, the carmaker said on its Facebook page: “As a caring, People-First company, we’re committed to supporting our national heroes and heroines. You guys are amazing!”.

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, Perodua has often provided support to hospitals. Last year, it provided the pediatric ward at the Selayang Hospital with medical equipment which included pulse oximeters (oxygen measurement devices) and portable screens.

RM1.25 million from Naza Group
Meanwhile, the Naza Group of Companies has donated RM1.25 million to the government’s COVID-19 fund. The cheque was presented to the Prime Minister by SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin, Group Executive Chairman & CEO, Naza Corporation Holdings.

Encik SM Nasarudin commended the government on the initiatives it has currently undertaken. “We hope the contribution by Naza Group will help alleviate the plight of those financially impacted by job disruptions and loss of earnings resulting from this global pandemic. We are all thankful for the selfless commitment shown by our medical practitioners, the police and armed forces and other frontliners in helping to manage this situation and keep us safe,” he said.

“Apart from this monetary contribution, Naza Group will actively look at ways we can leverage through our businesses to assist the Ministry of Health in managing this unprecedented crisis. As Malaysians we must come together during this critical period to overcome the adversities that lie ahead,” he added.

F1 community provides expertise to develop life-saving breathing aids

A breathing aid that can help keep COVID-19 patients out of intensive care, adapted by mechanical engineers at University College London (UCL) and clinicians at UCL Hospital (UCLH) working with Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (Mercedes-AMG HPP), has been approved for use in the Britain’s National Health Service (NHS).

The breathing aid, known as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), has been used extensively in hospitals in Italy and China to help COVID-19 patients with serious lung infections to breathe more easily when oxygen alone is insufficient.

Since March 18, engineers at UCL and HPP and clinicians at UCLH have been working round the clock at UCL’s engineering hub MechSpace to reverse engineer a device that can be produced rapidly by the thousands. It was produced within a rapid timeframe – fewer than 100 hours from the initial meeting to production of the first device. 100 devices are to be delivered to UCLH for clinical trials, with rapid roll-out to hospitals around the country ahead of the predicted surge of hospital admissions.

Andy Cowell, MD of Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, said: “The Formula One community has shown an impressive response to the call for support, coming together in the ‘Project Pitlane’ collective to support the national need at this time across a number of different projects. We have been proud to put our resources at the service of UCL to deliver the CPAP project to the highest standards and in the fastest possible timeframe.”

‘Project Pitlane’ is a collective of UK-based Formula 1 teams and their respective technology arms coordinating a response to the UK government’s call for assistance with the manufacture of medical devices. It will pool the resources and capabilities of its member teams, focusing on the core skills of the F1 industry: rapid design, prototype manufacture, test and skilled assembly. F1’s ability to respond rapidly to engineering and technological challenges allows the group to add value to the wider engineering industry’s response.

Mercedes-AMG HPP is responsible for the development of the powertrains in the F1 racing cars. It has considerable depth of expertise in both hardware and software across all elements of the Formula 1 hybrid Power Unit.

The collaboration demonstrates the way that universities, the NHS and industry are coming together to help the national response in Britain to the coronavirus outbreak by providing vital technologies to the NHS which can enable them to care for patients who require respiratory support. Reports from Italy indicate that approximately 50% of patients given CPAP have avoided the need for invasive mechanical ventilation. However, such devices are in short supply in UK hospitals.

UCLH critical care consultant Professor Mervyn Singer (UCL Medicine) said: “These devices will help to save lives by ensuring that ventilators, a limited resource, are used only for the most severely ill. “While they will be tested at UCLH first, we hope they will make a real difference to hospitals across the UK by reducing demand on intensive care staff and beds, as well as helping patients recover without the need for more invasive ventilation.”

CPAP machines are routinely used by the NHS to support patients in hospital or at home with breathing difficulties. They work by pushing an air-oxygen mix into the mouth and nose at a continuous rate, keeping airways open and increasing the amount of oxygen entering the lungs. Invasive ventilators deliver breaths directly into the lungs, but require heavy sedation and connection to a tube placed into the patient’s trachea (windpipe).

Why you should Stay Apart

Proton provides 50 units of X70 to Ministry of Health for frontliners in the war against COVID-19

Like Geely Auto, its sister company in the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, Proton has also been contributing to the fight against the COVID-19 coronavirus. With the frontliners being the vital force in this battle, Proton has provided 50 vehicles to the Malaysian Ministry of Health for its use.

The vehicles, all Proton X70s, will primarily be used to ferry medical workers to and from work as well as to any hotspots in the country in need of urgent attention.

Meanwhile, the carmaker has also provided vehicle owners with some tips on what to do with their vehicles which may have remained unused for up to 28 days due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) which began on March 18 and is set to end on April 14.

Here are 4 tips from Proton that you can carry out at your home:

Stay charged up
While technology has progressed since the early years of automobile production, one fact remains – a vehicle engine needs to be started periodically (the recommended period is every 7 days) in order to maintain functionality. This particularly applies to the battery which stores electricity that is used to start the engine and provide electrical power to also power systems.

If the engine is not run frequently, the alternator is unable to charge the battery and it will lose its energy. To avoid this, start your vehicle’s engine and keep it running for 10 minutes to allow the alternator to recharge the battery.

Run only the engine during those 10 minutes and keep all other systems off. If your vehicle is not parked without your home compound, do remember to lock it when you have finished!

Keep the pressure up
Tyre pressures should be checked bi-weekly to ensure they are at the recommended levels. To know what the right pressure is, you can refer to the Owner’s Manual or the sticker that is usually found on inside face of the door pillar next to the driver’s seat.

Then check the pressures of all tyres using a tyre pressure gauge. If you have an X70, you can also use the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System display to see the pressures. Should the pressures be lower than recommended, go to the nearest petrol station to get them to the right pressure.

Additionally, leaving your vehicle parked in the same spot for several days could result in flat spots on your tyres. Eventually, the tyre will lose its circular shape which can cause vibrations to be transmitted through the steering wheel when driving, even on smooth roads. To avoid this, move your vehicle forwards or backwards when you’re charging the vehicle’s battery.

Remember the wipers
If your vehicle is going to be parked in the open under the sun for this extended period, it’s good practice to keep windscreen wipers lifted up. The glass can get very hot under the sun and the heat transfer from the glass as well as prolonged exposure to UV rays will cause the wiper blades to harden, making them less effective.

Keep the inside sanitized
Especially at this time, hygiene is vital and it’s a good idea to practise sanitising your hands and the surfaces you’ve touched, particularly in your vehicle. After each journey, make sure you use some disinfectant to wipe surfaces like the steering wheel, door handles, window switches and gear lever. If you have an audio system with a touchscreen, mist some disinfectant onto a soft cloth and gently wipe the surface. Take extra care not to overdo it as too much moisture could damage the vehicle’s equipment surface.

2020 Proton X70 – lower prices, extra features and now assembled in Malaysia

Land Rover reassigns its New Defender media fleet to help in pandemic

With the many decades that Land Rover has been in existence, the name has been associated with many supporting activities during times of crisis. After all, its 4×4 vehicles have the capabilities to go into the roughest terrain, making it possible to bring vital supplies and rescue personnel to areas hit by a crisis like an earthquake or a flood.

Now Land Rover is again providing its vehicles in what is a global crisis – the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic which began sweeping across the world since the beginning of the year. As the world faces an extraordinary challenge, Land Rover is focusing efforts towards supporting global communities in the fight against COVID-19 by providing vehicles and expertise to emergency services and organisations like its partners, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The fleet of new Defenders which had been meant for use on media drives has been reassigned to a new duty with emergency services and organisations. It is understood that the fleet numbers 105 Defenders with another batch of around 30 to be made available in due course.

Click here to read more about the new Defender.

Priced from around £40,000 (about RM206,000), the new Defender was launched at the Frankfurt Motorshow last September and was rolled out progressively in various markets from January. However, now that the UK is under lockdown due to the pandemic, business activities would have come to a standstill.

Red Cross Experts Push New Land Rover Defender Prototype To The Limits In Desert Testing

SDAC’s Ford ‘Digital Salesperson’ at your service during this MCO period

If you’re planning on buying a new Ford vehicle but cannot go to the showroom at this time because of the restrictions of the Movement Control Order, you can still start the process using a new service offered by Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC). It’s known as the ‘Digital Salesperson’ and is a dedicated WhatsApp live chat line to address customer queries relating to vehicle purchases.

“In light of the Movement Control Order being extended until 14 April 2020, we are introducing an alternative method of a ‘Digital Salesperson’ which will allow customers to continue conversing with us via digital means. This comes as we understand that there are customers wanting to purchase our vehicles, but unable to walk into our showrooms during this period,” said Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz, MD of Sime Darby Auto ConneXion.

“After the Movement Control Order ends, we will continue to offer this alternative method as we care and understand that customers may still want to limit public exposure,” he added, saying that the service will be available until the end of June 2020 and extended if it is popular.

*The Ford Digital Salesperson can provide information about promotions.*

The ‘Digital Salesperson’ can respond to product-related queries as well as provide information on any ongoing sales promotions. This service aims to bridge the gap by linking customers to an actual Ford authorised salesperson located nearest to them. Once connected, customers can know about colour and stock availability as well as loan financing options and other information concerning a purchase.

The ‘Digital Salesperson’ by SDAC is available to assist customers from 9 am – 4 pm, Monday – Friday. Customers simply need to WhatsApp +6019-204 1200 to start chatting and queries will be attended to within 24 hours.

With the introduction of this alternative option, customers would also be able to transact at their own convenience and pay the deposit for their vehicle – and take advantage of upcoming festive promotions. Once the Movement Control Order is lifted, the necessary documents can be signed and processed.

Ford showroom — *The new Ford 3S centre at Sime Darby Motors City in Ara Damansara, Selangor.*

“When the Movement Control Order is lifted, we welcome customers who wish to come in-person to any of our flagship showrooms located at our latest automotive facility, Sime Darby Motors City, in Ara Damansara, as well as our showrooms at other parts of the country,” Jeffrey Gan, MD for Retail & Distribution, Malaysia, Sime Darby Motors, said.

“We would like to assure our customers that we have taken the necessary precautions to ensure the health and safety of our staff and visitors which includes, practicing social distancing. At certain showrooms, we require all visitors to perform temperatures checks upon entering the premise, in addition to supplying hand sanitiser dispensers located in the showrooms.”

For more information on Ford and the latest promotions, customers may also visit www.sdacford.com.my.

Click here for other news and articles about Ford and SDAC.

Refuelling your car? Remember to take these precautions…

Germs are all over the place and they’ve been there all along. Over the thousands of years, the human body has managed to build up defences for some of them or making ‘deals’ that if they don’t kill the human they live in, they can just stay. Medical advances have helped to fight infections too when the defences have failed and we have become sick.

But now we have a new enemy – the COVID-19 coronavirus – which has impacted the whole world, creating a pandemic. It’s not an alien invasion that we have seen in the movies but seems like one with the way it has swept the world and is killing thousands. Worse, it’s an invisible enemy which we cannot see so we don’t know where it is. Droplets of the virus could be on your keyboard, deposited there after you touched a basket at the supermarket and didn’t wash your hands with soap and water after you got home.

A home for germs
Since the virus can be almost anywhere and remains dangerous for hours and even days, precautions have to be taken touching any surface. These include using sanitizing wipes, sprays or gloves as well as hand sanitizers whenever you are away from home (which would be less now). One place where many may forget such precautions is at the petrol station: having pumped petrol countless times in our lives, we just forget that the pump nozzle handle is a home for germs too.

Many different people grip the handle daily. Some may be sick and leave their germs behind and then if you are unlucky, you pick up the germs and then you get sick as well. Perhaps that is how you got the flu the last time, who knows? But fortunately, until now, the danger has been very low to the extent that the need to protect yourself when holding the handle is not that important. More important is that you avoid inhaling the fumes from the fuel which can be bad for you.

Avoid direct contact with your skin
Now, more than ever, you should take precautions when pumping petrol. If you use a credit card and need to enter a PIN, then you might want to either wipe the keypad first with an antiseptic tissue or use some other object to press the keys to avoid direct contact. The PETRONAS Setel system is a contactless system which activates the pump using the mobilephone and some pumps also have wave capability for credit/debit cards.

Next is holding the nozzle handle and for this, you could use gloves, which you should dispose of after use (to conserve your supply, you could probably just use one glove). Disposable plastic gloves (the thin type) are a risk as they could cause static electricity so use only latex gloves.

Or you could get an unused cloth or paper and use it as a glove. The important thing is just to avoid direct contact with the handle so your hand doesn’t pick up any germs.

The final step, if you feel it is necessary, would be to clean your hands using a hand sanitizer which you should have in your vehicle. Try to avoid touching too many areas in the cabin so as not to deposit anything on them and if possible, use antiseptic wipes to clean them (we’ll talk about that in another article).

Petroleum companies also do their part
The petroleum companies also realise the importance of ensuring that the surfaces and points of contact are kept as hygienically clean as possible for the safety of customers visiting their stations. At BHPetrol stations, for example, the staff frequently sanitize and disinfect many areas and also offer filling services for motorists who prefer not to get out to do it.

You probably use your car much less now with the Movement Control Order in effect, unless you are commuting daily because you are involved in one of the essential services. So consumption would be lower and a full tank will last you much longer than usual. But should you have a need to refuel, do keep in mind our suggestions – to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Volkswagen and Audi modify their logos to create social distancing awareness

Social distancing is important during this COVID-19 pandemic. By being at least 1-metre (more more) apart from each other, the possibility of the transmission of the virus can be reduced. It’s a difficult thing to do but it is something we have to learn to do automatically if we are to defeat COVID-19.

To help spread the message, Volkswagen and Audi have modified their logos to show ‘distancing’. The move is being done through animations and images on social media channels and other media.

In the case of Volkswagen, the logo which has the smaller ‘V’ right over the ‘W’, the revised logo now has the ‘V’ moved further up, creating a bigger gap. The simple message is that we need to keep our social distance.

The German carmaker adds that ‘at Volkswagen, we traditionally stand together in all crises and support each other. We are convinced that together we will find new ways and solutions that will enable us to overcome this crisis. Right now, it is particularly important that we follow the rules of conduct and hygiene with a lot of discipline’.

Audi’s logo consisting of the familiar four rings, which has its origins going back to 1932, likewise depicts separation by having the rings set apart. In their usual configuration, they are interlinked, like the logo of the Olympics which, incidentally, have been postponed to 2021.

*In Thailand, Isuzu has also used a similar idea to create awareness of social distancing.*

Social distancing is one of the measures that can help to break the chain of virus transmission. Once this can be achieved, the virus will not be able to infect more people and eventually, its threat will be reduced. That’s the reason why the government has the Movement Control Order which now extends until April 14, 2020. It aims to limit the gathering of people so that the virus cannot spread.

Movement Control Order extended until April 14 2020

The Prime Minister has announced that the Movement Control Order (MC) will be extended a further two weeks until April 14, 2020. When first introduced on March 18, it was to have been until March 31, 2020 but the number of new COVID-19 cases is still not heading downwards. Up till noon today, the number of cases on record is 1,796, with 172 new cases being reported.

The PM made the announcement after discussions with the National Security Council “The government is of the opinion that the Movement Control Order should continue. The trend is expected to continue for a while before we can see the number of new cases reported decline.. In line with this, the government have decided to extend the MCO until April 14. I am informing you on the extension earlier so that the people can be prepared,” he said in a televised broadcast.

Advising Malaysians to be mentally and physically prepared to stay at home for a reasonably longer period of time, he said that those already in their hometowns need not return to Kuala Lumpur or other cities at the end of this week. In any case, under the MCO, there is a ban on interstate travel except with authorisation by the police.

The same restrictions apply and we should be glad that at least some movement is still permitted for people to go out and obtain essential items periodically. In some countries where there are lockdowns, the restrictions are stricter. You should only go out (one person per household) to buy the items needed and then return home immediately.

Supermarkets are allowed to remain open for business and restaurants can provide food for takeaway and deliveries. You can still get your nasi lemak and McDonalds or KFC using food delivery services such as Grab or Foodpanda. The PM gave assurance that food supplies are sufficient for everybody even though the MCO has been extended. So don’t buy more than necessary since you can go out again to resupply.

Businesses that are non-essential will have to remain closed, posing a problem for small companies. The government has been looking at ways to provide relief to all sectors and for individuals and SMEs (Small & Medium Enterprises), Bank Negara Malaysia has directed that a moratorium be provided for loan repayment. This will be for 6 months from April 1 and during that time, vehicle owners who have H-P loans do not have to pay the instalments and will not get a late penalty charge.

We are not alone in this. In virtually every country around the world, governments are forced to take measures, some very severe, to fight the COVID-19 pandemic as numbers keep growing. Stay strong and stay at home to do your part in preventing the virus from spreading.

You don’t have to pay your H-P loan for next 6 months

These are tough times for everyone and conserving cash and savings is important because we don’t know how long this situation will continue. In a normal recession, there comes a time when it ends and the economy slowly picks up again but this time, this is not something to do with the economy. It’s a pandemic which has to be fought like a war and hopefully, mankind will win and defeat the enemy.

For those who have hire-purchase loans from banks for their vehicles, you would normally have to continue paying the monthly instalments. So a portion of the money you are trying to save for essentials still has to be set aside to meet this commitment, otherwise your vehicle gets repossessed.

Understanding the burden on many people, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has directed all banks to automatically allow a 6-month moratorium on loans (ringgit-denominated) being serviced by individuals and SMEs (Small & Medium Enterprises) from April 1, 2020. This means that instalments for the months of April, May, June, July, August and September 2020 need not be paid as scheduled.

It does not mean that you get the 6 months deducted as you will have to resume paying from October onwards and your repayment period will end 6 months later than the original ending month.

You will not be charged any penalty for late payment during the 6 months but according to a BNM FAQ, the interest for the month will still be charged. So at the end of the loan term, you will have an extra amount to settle which was not present at the start when you took your loan.

If you have set monthly deductions from your bank account to pay instalments automatically, deductions will not be made during the period (but check with your bank to confirm).

“Banking institutions should provide individuals and SME borrowers with adequate information on how the suspended loan/financing repayments/payments will be treated during the moratorium period,” BMM said.

From what we understand, no application is needed as the deferment will be automatic and is applicable to loans or financing that are not in arrears exceeding 90 days as at April 1, 2020. Credit card balances are not covered under this moratorium although it may be possible to discuss with your bank about rescheduling payments or converting to loans.

So you have some extra money in the coming months. Do spend it wisely on essentials and don’t go on a ‘shopping trip’ online! If you do not wish to defer your instalments, you should notify your bank.