GEORGE TOWN, March 9 — The Penang Government has started conducting body temperature screenings of staff, visitors and VIPs who enter the Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (Komtar) building here in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The screening process will be conducted by 15 staffers of the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) at four main entrances of the state government’s administrative centre which is located on levels one, two and three, from 7.30 a.m. until 5.30 p.m. on working days.
MBPP mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said the officers were placed at these locations to help the state government conduct body temperature screenings to ensure that everyone with dealings at Komtar was healthy and had no symptoms of COVID-19 infection.
“The screenings are in line with the efforts by the Health Ministry for the prevention and control (of the disease),” he told Bernama when contacted here today.
Meanwhile, Penang Health director Dr Asmayani Khalib said the department welcomed the move by the state government to prevent the spread of the virus.
“This is a good effort by the management, as it will increase the level of health awareness among the staff and public,” she said.
Bernama found that most members of the public at the Komtar building welcomed the move and hoped it will be extended to other government buildings.
Trader Mohd Ashraf Azali, 39, said the initiative would create awareness among the public so that those who were not healthy, especially people who had symptoms of COVID-19 infection, did not go to public places.
“The public come to Komtar and the government offices every day, and we do not know where they have been. So for me, this is a very good initiative, we can at least curb the spread of the disease,” he said. – Bernama