Keep Novel Coronavirus at bay - Be vigilant & practice good personal hygiene
The number of people affected by the Novel Coronavirus has hit 571 in China today, with at least 17 deaths, as authorities there took drastic steps to contain the outbreak by suspending all flights and trains out of Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic. There were also confirmed cases of the virus in Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan and the USA. In Singapore, three new suspected cases were detected (21 Jan 2020).
As such, we would like to remind all staff to take care of your well-being by keeping vigilant and to adopt good personal hygiene practices. All staff are encouraged to follow these precautions.
- Practise frequent hand washing with soap (e.g. before handling food or eating, after going to toilet, or when hands are dirtied by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing);
- Cover your mouth with a tissue paper when coughing or sneezing, and dispose the soiled tissue paper in the rubbish bin immediately;
- Wear a mask if you have respiratory symptoms such as a cough or runny nose;
- Avoid close contact with people who are unwell or showing symptoms of illness;
- Seek medical attention promptly if you are feeling unwell;
- Avoid contact with live animals including poultry and birds, and consumption of raw and undercooked meats.
If you are travelling during the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays, you are advised to monitor your health closely and to seek medical attention promptly should you feel unwell, and to inform the doctor of your travel history. Please also note that the Ministry of Health had advised against non-essential travel to Wuhan yesterday.
You may also wish to refer to the World Health Organisation’s public advisory on How to Protect Yourself from Getting Infected: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public for more information.
Meanwhile, we would like to request all staff to update your mobile number in PeopleSoft by navigating through Employee Self-Service > Personal Details > Contact Details > Phone > BCP. The updated information will better support us in our pandemic response readiness, should the need arises, as we safeguard our collective well-being and business continuity at Income.
Thank you.
Chen Boon Khing
Head of BCM Workgroup