Tag Archives: Protection

How Malaysia Manages PPE Supply To Combat COVID-19

PPE supplies are extremely limited across the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Malaysia is no exception.

Find out how Malaysia is making sure there is enough PPE to protect our healthcare workers!

Why There Is A Shortage Of PPE In Malaysia

Thanks to the Movement Control Order (MCO), Malaysia has flattened the curve, ensuring that our healthcare system is not overwhelmed.

The Malaysia Ministry of Health have also been proactive in creating spare capacity, even creating a temporary COVID-19 hospital, and marshalling volunteers.

However, like many countries in the world – they have trouble sourcing for PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) to protect healthcare workers, announcing recently that they are running short of 3 critical PPE types.

PPE are also consumables, which means there must be steady and reliable supply, or even the best-stocked healthcare service in the world will run out eventually.

PPE Strategy In Malaysia

To avoid running out of PPE, the Malaysia Ministry of Health is procuring PPE in bulk at central and state levels.

They are also working closely with the National Security Council, National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) and other central agencies to ensure that issues relating to the supply chain issues are specifically addressed.

They are also minimising the need for PPE by the public through the Movement Control Order (MCO), and business reengineering. Hospitals and clinics have also been realigned to prepare special COVID-19 and green zones, as well as adopt more judicious use of PPE.

Here is a summary of their strategy.

Coordinate the PPE supply chain – centralised procurement and monitoring of effective PPE usage
Minimise the need for PPE – through quarantine and business reengineering to reduce exposure to infection
Rational use of PPE – PPE should be judiciously used based on the risk of exposure

PPE Monitoring + Management In Malaysia

To monitor and manage the stock levels and consumption rates for the different PPE types, the Malaysia Ministry of Health uses a simple online reporting and database system.

This system is administered by officers at all State Health Departments, hospitals and District Health Offices (including all health clinics under the respective District Health Office).

The responsible officers in each state will key in data on a daily basis, and the information is used to rapidly mobilise stocks to hospitals that require them.

The Malaysia Ministry of Health also provided this list of names, telephone numbers and email addresses of the responsible officers in each state that can assist the public, as well as healthcare workers, in providing feedback on shortage of any PPE.

Upon “immediate verification”, these officers can rapidly mobilise available PPE stocks to address a shortage, based on needs and priorities.

COVID-19 : How To Keep Safe!

Here are a few simple steps to stay safe from COVID-19 :

Stay at home or shelter in place
Keep your hands clean with soap or hand sanitiser
Keep your home, office, vehicle, etc. clean
If you must go out, maintain a social distance of 6 feet (2 metres)
Wear a surgical mask and make sure you put it on and remove it properly!
Wash your food with water (and soap) after purchase and before preparation

Recommended : Soap vs Sanitiser : Which Works Better Against COVID-19?
Recommended : Surgical Mask : How To CORRECTLY Wear + Remove!
Recommended : COVID-19 Food Safety : Fruits, Vegetables, Takeouts

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China Just Sent Donald Trump These Face Shields!

China just sent medical aid including face shields to the United States, but US President Donald Trump flew into a rage when he saw the face shields they sent!

Face Shields : Critical PPE!

Face shields are critical PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for doctors, because COVID-19 is highly contagious.

But they are rapidly running out in the United States, because US President Donald Trump spent his time attacking China, instead of preparing for COVID-19.

Recommended : DIY Face Shield : An Easy Way To Make / Mass Produce!

China Just Sent Donald Trump These Face Shields!

As part of their efforts to gain soft power, China has been sending planeloads of medical equipment and even doctors to countries like the Philippines, Spain and Italy.

Yesterday, they even sent a flight to the US filled with what they called “Gifts for The Great President Trump“.

But he flew into an absolute rage, when he discovered that, instead of doctors and N95 respirators or 3-ply surgical masks, the Chinese sent him janitors and these water bottle face shields!

Accompanying the janitors and water bottle face shields, was a letter from the pugnacious Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian, stating :

To The High & Mighty American President Donald J. Trump,

The Middle Kingdom graciously offers you our very best experts, and the very best examples of Chinese ingenuity.

These sanitation specialists come to you directly from Wuhan, after completing two full months of training against the American virus.

Now that they have conquered the virus that was introduced into our beautiful Wuhan by your military cyclist, they will help you clean America and make it great again!

They will also help show your American doctors how to use our special face shields that we have designed to fit even the biggest American heads.

Please extend them your very best American hospitality. We understand that the Trump International Beach Resort is quite decent.

Meanwhile, China Sends These Gifts To Other Countries…

China also makes a point to show off the gifts they are sending to other countries, like…

The United Kingdom

Italy

Spain

Pakistan

Recommended Reading

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DIY Face Shield : An Easy Way To Make / Mass Produce!

The face shield is an important PPE that protects doctors and other healthcare professionals while they perform procedures on patients.

Unfortunately, face shield supplies have either run out, or are running critically low, in many healthcare facilities.

So here is an easy way for healthcare workers and volunteers to DIY and even mass produce large quantities of cheap, disposable face shields!

DIY Face Shield : The Need To DIY

A shortage of PPE supplies during the COVID-19 crisis have inspired medical professionals to come up with their own DIY PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).

It was said that one of the first DIY PPE was a face shield created by Chinese healthcare workers out of water bottles. It later led to Chinese civilians wearing water bottles on the heads!

Recommended : China Just Sent Donald Trump These Face Shields!

DIY Face Shield : The MDA NZ DIY Method!

Fortunately, our Malaysian healthcare professionals do not have to resort to up-cycling used water bottles!

Dr. Tan Sock Hooi, together with her Malaysian Dental Association Northern Zone team, came up with videos and pictures to show you this easy way to mass produce cheap and comfortable face shields.

What You Will Require

These is what Dr. Tan and her team recommends :

Surgical spirit / 2% sodium hypochlorite (Clorox) / Sanitising agents (70% alcohol or more)
A4 plastic sheets (make sure they are clear, not matte)

Paper (if you want to print messages of encouragement)
Sponge strips – cut to 25 x 3 x 3 cm / 20 x 3 x 2.5 cm
Rounded corner punch
Paper hole puncher
UHU glue, or similar types of adhesives
Strap material
– either thick rubber band 17-18 cm in length, or
– elastic band
Box cutter, stapler and masking / electrical tape
Gloves to avoid smearing / contaminating the face shields

If you have limited supplies, you can make do with :

Surgical spirit / 2% sodium hypochlorite (Clorox) / Sanitising agents (70% alcohol or more)
A4 plastic sheets (make sure they are clear, not matte)
Sponge strips – cut to 25 x 3 x 3 cm / 20 x 3 x 2.5 cm
Scissors, box cutter, stapler and masking / electrical tape
UHU glue, or similar types of adhesives
Strap material
– either thick rubber band 17-18 cm in length, or
– elastic band

Volunteer Cleanliness

Before you start, it is important for you to prepare yourself.

You should NOT participate if you are sick, whether with COVID-19 symptoms or otherwise.
You should NOT participate if you have had contact with any COVID-19 positive patient.
You should NOT participate if if you have travelled overseas in the last 14 days.
You should have a good shower, and wash your hair, before participating.
After your shower, dry yourself and wear clean clothes.
Make sure you put on a surgical mask properly, and it must be left on at all times.
Minimise talking while working on the face shield.
Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, before proceeding.

Workstation Preparation

Before you start, it is important to prepare your workplace, to ensure that the face shields are hygienic and safe to use.

Wipe your table top with a disinfectant – anything with 2% sodium hypochlorite (like Clorox) or 70% alcohol or more will do
Disinfect your instruments – ruler, scissor, pen knife, etc

Creating The DIY Face Shield

Here are the steps for the MDA NZ method on creating their DIY face shield :

A. With Rubber Band Strap

Take out a plastic sheet and identify one long edge as the top.
Use the paper hole puncher to punch a hole on each side of the plastic sheet, approximately 2.5 to 3 cm from the top.
It is important for the holes to be located slightly below the sponge strip, to prevent the face shield from flaring out in use
Tip : You can stack many plastic sheets and punch holes through them in one go.
Round off the corners of the plastic sheet using the rounded corner punch (highly recommended), or scissors.

If you printed words of encouragement, paste the message onto the sponge strip with adhesive.
Liberally apply adhesive onto the message and the sponge strip.
Flip the sponge strip and press it against the top of the plastic sheet.
Leave the glue to set.
Insert the rubber band and tied off both ends with a double knot, making sure that the knot is bigger than the punch hole.

B. With Elastic Band Strap

Round off the corners of the plastic sheet using the rounded corner punch (highly recommended), or scissors.

If you printed words of encouragement, paste the message onto the sponge strip with adhesive.
Liberally apply adhesive onto the message and the sponge strip.
Flip the sponge strip and press it against the top of the plastic sheet.
Leave the glue to set.
Staple the elastic band to both sides of the plastic sheet, just below the sponge strip.
It is important for the strap to be affixed slightly below the sponge strip, to prevent the face shield from flaring out in use.
Use masking or electrical tape to cover the staples, to prevent injury to the user.

Inspection + Sanitisation

Inspect the face shield and make sure it is not smeared with glue, or your fingerprints (if you are not wearing gloves)

Sanitise the face shield with surgical spirit, or any sanitising agents with 70% alcohol or more
Bonus : Surgical spirit will remove any smeared glue as well as fingerprints!

Pack the face shield into a box before delivering them to healthcare workers.

If you are unable to sanitise your face shields, make sure you inform your recipients so they can sanitise them before using.

So there you have it – cheap and easy-to-make DIY face shields, courtesy of Dr. Tan Sock Hooi and her Malaysian Dental Association Northern Zone team!

COVID-19 : How To Keep Safe!

Here are a few simple steps to stay safe from COVID-19 :

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Avoid suspected cases or disease hotpots, like hospitals, if possible!
Avoid public events and crowds
Keep our hands clean with soap or hand sanitiser
Keep our homes, offices, vehicles, etc. clean
If you need to wear a surgical mask, make sure you put it on and remove it properly!
Wash your food with water (and soap) after purchase and before preparation

Recommended : Soap vs Sanitiser : Which Works Better Against COVID-19?
Recommended : Surgical Mask : How To CORRECTLY Wear + Remove!
Recommended : COVID-19 Food Safety : Fruits, Vegetables, Takeouts

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Science | Home

Support Tech ARP!

If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!

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