Climate change can affect conditions indoors by worsening existing indoor air quality issues and introducing new ones. Most people in the United States spend about 90% of their time indoors. The air we breathe indoors, and ultimately our health, can be impacted by many factors, including the air quality outdoors, people’s activities indoors, and the design, construction, operation and maintenance of a building.

Changes in the climate can affect the air we breathe indoors in many ways. For example, changes in the climate can worsen the quality of the air outdoors which infiltrates into indoor environments. Rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and warmer temperatures can increase outdoor airborne allergens which can infiltrate indoor spaces. Warmer temperatures and shifting weather patterns can lead to more frequent and severe wildfires. Smoke and other particle pollution generated outdoors, including from wildfire events and dust storms, can infiltrate indoor environments and contribute to levels of indoor particulate matter.

Additionally, more frequent and longer outdoor heat waves can result in higher indoor temperatures. Climate change is also increasing the frequency and severity of some extreme weather events, such as extreme precipitation, flooding, and storms, which can result in damage to buildings and allow water or moisture to enter indoors. Increased indoor dampness and humidity can lead to increases in mold, dust mites, bacteria, and other biological contaminants indoors. Extreme weather events can also create conditions that support increases in and the spread of pests and infectious agents that can make their way indoors.

Lastly, power outages may occur with more frequent extreme weather, making it more difficult to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures and healthy indoor air quality, and leading to more frequent use of portable generators. Carbon monoxide poisoning from improper use of portable generators results in hundreds of deaths and thousands of illnesses each year.

Tips to Help You and Your Home Withstand Extreme Weather and Maintain Indoor Air Quality

Electric Power Outage

• Plan for an alternate power source: Consider how to provide electric power safely if floods, high winds, ice storms or other weather events result in power outages. See: Safely Provide Power for Lighting, Cooking and Heating.
• Plan for an alternate shelter: Include a backup location where you know there will be power and you will be welcome as part of your emergency plan for power loss.

Heavy Rains

Direct water away from your home:

• Add gutters and/or maintain gutters: Keep gutters and downspouts free of debris and leaks. Direct downspouts away from the house.
• Slope ground away from building: If rain puddles against the foundation after a storm, correct the problem by re-grading the area or installing underground drainage. 

Heat Wave

• Keep air-conditioned air out of the attic*: Air seal ductwork and air handlers in the attic. Reduce unwanted solar heating of your home, in other words, reduce solar gains.
• Add reflective coating on the roof.
• Add reflective film on windows.
• When you reroof choose a light colour.
• When you get new windows, select windows with low solar heat gain

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Indoors and Outdoors Particulate Matter

As many of us return to the office, and congregate indoors over dinner and drinks during the summer holidays, we need to think about ventilation to minimise the indoor spread of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, is spread mostly by larger particles called droplets, but also by smaller particles called aerosols, and by touch from contaminated surfaces.

Aerosol particles are lighter than droplet-sized particles, and can be suspended in the air for longer. The suspension and therefore transmission of aerosols is facilitated by poor ventilation. Increasing ventilation indoors, with fresh outdoor air, is a key method of dispersing viral particles. Ventilation can reduce the risk that just one COVID-positive person (who might not yet know they’re infectious) will infect others.

There are some simple measures you can take, both at home and at work, to improve ventilation over the holiday period and beyond.

1. Open windows and doors

The best strategy at home and at work is simply to open windows and doors.

If you’re having friends and family over for a meal, or your office Christmas party, consider moving tables and chairs closer to open windows and opening up a door to create a thorough breeze. Or, if weather permits, eat outside.

2. Set your air conditioner to pull fresh air from outside

Air conditioners can help, but they must be on the right setting.

At work or home, you don’t want to recirculate indoor air, as this just fans the same air around the room (but now colder or warmer).

Instead, always make sure your air conditioner is set to bring in 100% fresh air from outside. There are settings in offices that allow the system to increase air change per hour, meaning it can reduce the time it takes for all the air inside the room to be completely replaced with outside fresh air.

But the direction of the airflow is also important. For example, airflow from an air conditioner (that was recirculating air rather than pulling it from outside) was implicated in spreading the virus to a number of diners at tables downstream in a restaurant in China.

Offices welcoming back staff should prepare their air conditioners by having their engineers service the system to pull in fresh air faster than the pre-COVID setting (which may have been around 40 litres per second per person) at no less than 60 litres per second, per person.

In hospitals, aged-care facilities and hotel quarantine, qualified engineers should be brought in to assess the adequacy of the air conditioner’s airflow. This is particularly crucial for any “hot zones” accommodating people who are COVID-positive.

The World Health Organisation recommends hot zones have 12 airflow changes per hour (that’s 80 litres per second per person), meaning the air is totally replaced 12 times every 60 minutes. This is the gold standard for ventilation, and can be very hard to achieve in many buildings.

3. Use fans

Guidelines released by CDC recommend placing fans near open windows to enhance airflow. The recommendation is to keep fans on at all times when a room is occupied, for example at restaurants.

As with aircons, fans can be dangerous if they push the air directly from one person to another, and one is infectious. You should place the fan so it increases the flow of fresh air into the room, and shouldn’t be placed so the air moves from the room towards the open window or open door.

4. Don’t bother with HEPA filters at home

High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters have been marketed as a way to reduce the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 particles in the air.

Their effectiveness is dependent on the airflow capacity of the unit, the configuration of the room, the number of people in the room, and the position of the filter in the room.

But there’s no evidence to suggest a portable HEPA filter unit will help in your home. So, don’t rush out and buy one.

They may be effective in some areas of health care, such as a COVID ward in a hospital or in aged care homes, particularly when used in negative-pressure rooms. The combination of the HEPA filter and negative air pressure reduces the risk of aerosol particles escaping into the corridor.

5. In public transport

COVID outbreaks have been traced back to exposure on public transport. For example, a young man in Hunan Province, China, travelled on two buses and infected multiple people who were sitting in different areas of the buses. A study of this cluster was carried out by Chinese researchers, who put forward one theory regarding air flow:

The study’s authors recommend all windows be open on public transport to help disperse viral particles. If you’re on a tram or a bus, you should open them if you can. However, on some forms of public transport it might be impossible, like trains. In these instances, you should wear a mask.

Likewise, it’s ideal to have the windows down in Ubers and taxis. But if you can’t or don’t want to, turn on the air conditioner and have it pull fresh air from outside. And still wear a mask!

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Mold Contamination and Health

After a long, stressful encounter with the COVID-19 virus, the entire world is finally relieved to get access to the vaccines. Getting a Covid-19 vaccine is essential as it protects against the COVID-19 virus. The approved vaccines are carefully evaluated for safety and efficacy. Furthermore, they also make the infection less severe if you contract the virus after vaccination.

As you get jabbed at your turn, you must know the expected side effects and practice the safety protocols before and after vaccination. We have some crucial tips for you as you wait your turn to be vaccinated.

Before vaccination

1)     Do your research

• Learn more about the different types of COVID-19 vaccines and how they work and how vaccinations are being rolled out within your area.
• Make sure you’re relying on accurate vaccine information by checking that it comes from a trustworthy source, like your Ministry of Health, WHO or UNICEF.
• Cross-check vaccine information that you find online, particularly if it comes from unknown sources.
• If you have any doubts, talk to staff at your nearest Health Facility, or a health worker. 

2)     Prepare your things

Make sure you have:

•       A mask that covers your nose and mouth – and fits tightly and comfortably. More guidance on masks here.
•       Hand sanitizer.
•       The notification you received about your appointment.
•       Your ID.
•       A travel plan, to get to your appointment on time.
•       Wear loose or short sleeves that can be rolled up easily, so that health workers have easy access to your arm.
•       Tell your health provider, or vaccinator, if you have any health issues or are taking any medications, including any pain killers.

3)     Cancel your appointment if you have COVID-19 or the symptoms

If you have COVID-19, or the symptoms, on the day of your vaccination appointment, do not go to the appointment. This is because you could spread the virus to others at the vaccination centre.

Get in touch with your vaccination centre, by message, phone or email to let them know you will not be attending your appointment because you have COVID-19 symptoms. You can get vaccinated when it has been 14 days since you last experienced COVID-19 symptoms.

At the vaccination centre

When waiting in line outside of the vaccination centre, and once you are inside:

• Keep your mask on at all times.
• Don’t touch your mask once it’s on and properly fitted.
• Keep at least 1 metre distance between yourself and others.
• Sanitise or wash your hands after touching door handles, surfaces or furniture.
• Don’t touch your face.

During vaccination

All COVID-19 vaccines, regardless of the manufacturer, are administered in the same way. The vaccine will be injected into the muscle in your upper arm. It should take no longer than a few seconds and may cause a little pain.

Keep your mask on during your appointment and turn your face away from the face of the vaccinator — to help keep you both safe. 

If you are feeling nervous or anxious:

• Remember that it is just a small prick that could save your life.
• Take slow deep breaths. 
• Look away from the needle. 

After vaccination

1)     Expect minor side effects

After being vaccinated, some side effects are normal and expected. Side effects are a sign that your body is building immune protection. 

Common side effects observed with COVID-19 vaccines include: 

• Some pain, swelling and redness on the arm where you received the vaccine  
• Chills or mild fever  
• Tiredness
• Headaches
• Joint pain or muscle ache

These side effects typically go away within a few days.

2)     Stay at the vaccination centre for the observation period

After being vaccinated you’ll need to stay in an observation area for 15-30 minutes. 

This is to monitor your reaction to the vaccine and make sure you don’t experience any severe side effects. 

Severe side effects are very rare, but could include:

• Itching 
• Fainting
• Vomiting
• Severe allergic reaction 
• Wheezing, difficulties in breathing or shortness of breath. 

Let a health worker know immediately if you experience any of these side effects.

Severe side effects, while very rare, are most likely to appear in the first 30 minutes after being vaccinated. Your stay in the observation area means qualified help is on hand in the unlikely event that you do experience any. 

3)     Prepare for your second vaccination appointment 

Most COVID-19 vaccines need 2 doses to work. This means you need to be vaccinated twice — with a gap of 4-12 weeks between the first and second dose.

Before you leave your first vaccination appointment, make sure you know the date of the second. 

It’s important that you get your second dose, even if you experienced side effects from the first — unless a vaccination provider, or your doctor, tells you not to get the second dose.

When you get home

1) Take care of yourself 

If you experience side effects, these may affect your ability to do daily activities for a few days.

Some people may develop fever, muscle pain and swelling, redness, pain or a tingling sensation at the site of injection, for 1-2 days. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids. 

You can take some paracetamol to help ease any of these sensations. If you do, make sure you follow the dosage instructions from the pharmacist or provider.  

If your symptoms are more severe, or last longer than a week, tell the health workers who gave you the vaccine. 

2) Care for the arm where your vaccine was injected

You can reduce any pain or discomfort in the arm where you got the vaccine, by applying a cool, clean, wet washcloth over the area.

3) Put your second vaccination appointment in your calendar

As mentioned, most COVID-19 vaccines require two doses to work. It takes time for your body to build protection and you may not be protected from the virus until two weeks after your second vaccination. 

It can be several weeks or more between your first and second appointment — so it’s important that you don’t forget!

4) Keep up preventive behaviours 

It’s important that you continue to follow preventive measures after being vaccinated. This is because COVID-19 vaccines have proven effective at stopping people developing the virus, but we don’t yet know whether they prevent people from passing infection onto others.  

Continue to protect yourself and others by:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds, or hand sanitiser — as often as you can. 
• Keeping at least 1 metre distance between yourself and others. 
• Meeting people in well ventilated, or outdoor spaces 
• Wearing a mask when you can’t keep your distance from others, or are inside a public space. 

This is especially important until two weeks after your second vaccination – as during this period, your body is still building protection against the virus.

 

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Mold are a form of fungus. There are many different types, and they can occur both indoors and outdoors. Mold produce spores, which spread by floating around in the air. Mold spores are present in all indoor environments. There is no way to prevent spores, and they can persist in conditions where mold itself cannot grow.

Mold spores thrive in environments that are moist and warm, so when they land on a damp spot, they begin to grow. Mold can grow on a variety of different surfaces, including fabric, paper, wood, glass, and plastic. As they grow, they may digest the material they are growing on.

Types of mold

Common indoor mold are including:

Alternaria: This occurs in damp places indoors, such as showers or under leaky sinks.

Aspergillus: This often grows indoors, on dust, powdery food items, and building materials, such as drywall.

Cladosporium: This can grow in either cool or warm areas. It tends to appear on fabrics and wood surfaces.

Penicillium: This tends to grow on materials with water damage. It often has a blue or green appearance.

Mold take a variety of forms and textures. They can be white, black, yellow, blue, or green and often look like discoloration or stain to a surface. They can also have a velvety, fuzzy, or rough appearance, depending on the type of mold and where it is growing.

Common Health Issue related to mold?

The following health conditions are associated with mold exposure:

• Allergies: Symptoms include sneezing; irritation of the nose, mouth or throat; nasal stuffiness and runny nose; and red, itchy or watery eyes. For employees who already have allergies, mold can trigger asthma-related symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing or coughing.
• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: HP is lung inflammation that occurs in people who develop immune system sensitization to inhaled organic dust. It can be mistaken for pneumonia, but cannot be treated with antibiotics. With continued exposure, the persistent lung inflammation may cause permanent damage.
• Asthma: With this lung disease, the airways develop inflammation in response to sensitizing or irritating exposure. Asthma sufferers may experience shortness of breath, coughing, chest tightness and wheezing.

 

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If employees suspect workplace exposure to mold is affecting their health, we would advise them to immediately report all concerns to their supervisor, visit their doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment, and ask their doctor whether they should be medically restricted from the work environment.

If supervisors suspect mold is causing health problems among their employees, they should:

• Regularly inspect buildings for dampness.
• Prevent high indoor humidity with HVAC systems.
• Always respond when employees report health concerns.
• Establish procedures for recording and responding to indoor air quality complaints.
• Develop a plan for response and perform remedial action.
• Follow up to ensure corrective action has been successful.
• Encourage employees who have developed persistent or worsening respiratory symptoms to see a health care provider.
• Follow health care provider recommendations for relocation of employees diagnosed with building-related respiratory disease.

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Mold Contamination and Health

It is important that the AHU is operated as well as maintained with the right seriousness and as per laid down procedures. Here’s the detailed guidelines.

An Air Handling Unit (AHU) is an important component of the air conditioning system as it enables large spaces to be cooled simultaneously and also aids in maintaining the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Each building will have a number of AHUs and the quality of the air that goes into the workspace will depend a great deal on the health of the AHU and its associated components. Another key aspect is how effectively the AHU is maintained – more often than not, this is a low priority area for HVAC system operators that lead to poor IAQ issues inside the workspace.

The COVID 19 pandemic has put more focus on the AHU due to the concerns related to spread of the infection within the office space and hence it is even more important that the AHU is operated as well as maintained with the right seriousness and as per laid down procedures.

How Often Are HVAC Inspections Needed?

Ideally, your HVAC should be inspected before the start of each heating and cooling season, and in special situations, such as when you’re buying a home and having the property inspected. A thorough HVAC inspection, along with seasonal preventive maintenance that includes cleaning and tuning up the equipment, is important for your peace of mind about:

Energy efficiency. Regularly inspected, tuned-up equipment can run at maximum efficiency, so you won’t experience the energy waste and higher-than-necessary utility bills that often occur when maintenance is neglected.

Breakdowns and failures. Inspections give an HVAC technician a chance to identify developing issues while they’re still minor, so you can get problems fixed before they cause a breakdown that needs an extensive repair, or worse, a component failure that requires a premature replacement.

Equipment lifespan. Just like any other kind of mechanical equipment, your HVAC components will last longer if they’re inspected regularly and receive timely preventive maintenance and care.

Safe operation. Routine inspections not only help you avoid costly repairs and early equipment failures, they also ensure that your furnace or air conditioner stays operating safely. For instance, an inspection may reveal a cracked heat exchanger or vent system blockage that sends deadly carbon monoxide into your air supply, or a wiring short circuit that poses a risk of fire.

System condition and functionality. It’s usual to have a house-wide inspection completed when buying a home, but an HVAC-specific inspection is important too. A pre-purchase HVAC inspection provides invaluable information like the approximate age and efficiency level of a home’s comfort equipment, whether it’s been well maintained, if it needs any repairs, and its expected remaining lifespan.

To maintain a great Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), it is advisable to do frequent checking on HVAC system.

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Ventilation is the process of introducing fresh air into indoor spaces while removing stale air. Letting fresh air into indoor spaces can help remove air that contains virus particles and prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). When someone with COVID-19 breathes, speaks, coughs or sneezes, they release particles (droplets and aerosols) containing the virus that causes COVID-19. While larger droplets fall quickly to the ground, smaller droplets and aerosols containing the virus can remain suspended in the air. If someone breathes in virus particles that are suspended in the air, they can become infected with COVID-19. This is known as airborne transmission.

In poorly ventilated rooms the amount of virus in the air can build up, increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19, especially if there are lots of infected people in the room. The virus can also remain in the air after an infected person has left. Bringing fresh air into a room and removing older stale air that contains virus particles reduces the chance of spreading COVID-19. The fresher air that is brought inside, the quicker any airborne virus will be removed from the room.

Ventilation is most important if someone in your household has COVID-19 or if you are indoors with people you do not live with. Good ventilation has also been linked to health benefits such as better sleep and fewer sick days off from work.

Bear in mind that ventilation does not prevent COVID-19 from spreading through close contact and is only one of the actions you should take to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This is why it is important that everybody follows the guidance on how to stop the spread of COVID-19 all of the time, especially as it is possible to have COVID-19 with no symptoms. You can pass COVID-19 on to others if you are only symptomatic or asymptomatic.

Reduce the amount of time you spend indoors with people you do not live with

If COVID-19 is spreading in your community, stay safe by taking some simple precautions, such as physical distancing, wearing a mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, avoiding crowds, cleaning your hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue. 

Make sure you understand and abide by the current rules and restrictions on meeting others.

Besides, you should minimise the amount of time you spend indoors with people you do not live with or share a support bubble with. Avoid meeting people in spaces with a limited flow of fresh air such as rooms without ventilation or windows that are never opened. The risk is greater in small rooms as the concentration of virus in the air can build up more quickly than in larger areas.

Ventilation in the workplace and non-domestic settings

Ventilation should be considered as part of making your workplace or indoor public space COVID-secure. It is important to identify and deal with areas that are not well ventilated. The more people occupying an area that is poorly ventilated, and the longer they remain in it, the greater the risk of spread of COVID-19.

Control measures such as avoiding certain activities or gatherings, restricting or reducing the duration of activities, providing ventilation breaks during or between room usage should be considered alongside ventilation for reducing the risk of airborne transmission.

Any actions to improve ventilation should not compromise other aspects of safety and security (for example, avoid propping open fire doors), and should consider other consequences such as health and wellbeing impacts from thermal discomfort.

Employers should provide employees with clear guidance on ventilation, why it is important, and instruction on how to achieve and maintain good natural ventilation or to operate systems if there are user controls.

Make sure mechanical ventilation systems are maintained in line with manufacturers’ instructions. Set ventilation systems to using a fresh air supply and not recirculating indoor air, where possible. Assessing the requirement and performance of ventilation systems in many environments requires engineering expertise. In addition, ventilation design may be specific to the setting. For some existing and older buildings, ventilation systems may not have been designed to meet current standards and additional mitigations may be needed. If you are unsure, seek the advice of your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) engineer or adviser.

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Chemicals may enter the body through four significant routes:

• Inhalation (breathing) – The most common way workplace chemicals enter the body.
• Skin contact – Some chemicals by direct or indirect contact can damage the skin or pass through the skin and into the bloodstream.
• Ingestion – Workplace chemicals can be accidentally swallowed if food, drink or even cigarettes are contaminated.
• Injection – Injection may occur when a sharp object like a needle punctures the skin and injects a chemical directly into the bloodstream.

Once the chemical has entered the body, it can be distributed anywhere in the body by the bloodstream. Regardless of the way the chemical enters the body, it can attack and harm any organ.

Effects of chemicals on the body

Some exposure to chemicals may result in immediate injuries such as chemical burns, while some exposure takes a toll over time. If repeated over the years of employment, even relatively minor chemical exposures can lead to life-changing medical conditions.

What are common injuries due to chemical exposure in the workplace?

Harmful chemicals and substances in the workplace are responsible for a large number of chronic illnesses and deaths that can be untraceable. This is due to the symptoms appearing after many years after the exposure instead of suddenly. Other injuries include:

• Burns
• Rashes
• Throat or lung injuries
• Nerve and neurological injuries

Tips to help prevent chemical exposure

• Substitute irritating workplace substances with more skin-friendly substances.
• Implement technical measures to reduce skin contact, such as capsuling machinery to avoid splashes on the skin.
• Rotate job positions among employees to limit more intense exposure to harsh environments.
• Wear personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks to prevent skin contact.

What are your rights if you are exposed to chemicals in the workplace?

• Receive workplace safety and health training in a language that is understood
• Be equipped with machines and other forms of equipment that are safe. If you believe that your work environment is unsafe or unhealthful, you may file a complaint with OSHA and request an inspection. 
• Employers are required to equip workers with safety equipment, such as gloves and harnesses, and lifeline for falls.
• Be able to report an injury or illness and get copies of medical records. In addition, have the ability to review records of work-related injuries and illnesses. 
• See results of tests taken to find workplace hazards 

10 steps to prepare before conducting CHRA

1. Find out whether your company has an existing CHRA report. Check the expiry date and make plans for renewal minimum 3 months before expiry.
2. Compile a chemical list according to work areas including those in supporting activities such as maintenance and scheduled waste. Develop Chemical Register as per DOSH format. For those who already have the Chemical register, update the list. Check with process owners.
3. Compile Safety Data Sheet all for chemicals that are listed in the updated Chemical Register.
4. Compile any documents that may relate to chemical usage in your company such as process flow, lay out drawing, training records, exposure monitoring reports, medical surveillance reports etc.
5. Identify a DOSH registered CHRA Assessor to conduct CHRA at your place. Criteria to check besides the PRICING, are (6), (7) and (8).
6. Request a valid license of the assessor (request them to show the license)
7. Put priority on an assessor that is familiar with your type of industry so that the assessment is more accurate and practical.
8. Ask around your SHO network to recommend an assessor so that you can pick a quality assessor without having to experience the bad ones. Quality assessor means quality content of a report.
9. During site assessment, check whether the assessor him/herself came to site for site walk and NOT sending his/her representative for site visit. REMEMBER: You are buying their skill to conduct CHRA. No replacement of skill is possible when it comes to qualitative assessment.
10. After the assessment process is completed, ask the assessor to give a target date for their report presentation and submission. Don’t let them drag you too long unless you are the one that cannot furnish them with the information required to complete the report.

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KUALA LUMPUR, 10 July 2021 – ENVIRO Group Asia has recently launched a WeCARE, a Business For Good (BFG) programme aimed at reaching out to the local communities through its online platforms, and partnership with Non-profit Organisations. The programme started in early July to echo the #kitajagakita movement, and the group is currently in talk and strategising reach-out plans with several organisations.

The Group is set to contribute hygiene kits, hand sanitisers and masks to the needy, and most importantly, lending its 16^th years expertise in the field of indoor hygiene and solutions to organisations and homes, with indoor air quality, testing and disinfection services to keep the community safe.

We can honestly say that we’ve never experienced an event with such a drastic impact on how we live and work as the COVID-19 pandemic. Now more than ever, we must do the right things and be prepared to take steps beyond what we’re typically required to do.

As an experienced indoor air quality hygiene expert, Enviro Group is constantly researching and advancing through our technologies and the solutions provided. In times like this we find ourselves being equipped with the right knowledge and solutions to support others. There is no reason not to step up and serve the community,” says Mr. Nitesh Malani, Group CEO of Enviro Group Asia.

The Group welcomes any local community that requires support to contact its toll free hotline 1800-88-7900 for further discussion.

About Enviro Group Asia

Enviro Group Asia is an integrated indoor air engineering solutions expert with more than 16 years experience in indoor air quality testing and solutions, building remediation, decontamination, disinfection, facilities management, and disaster restoration management solutions across a variety of industries. The Group holds the exclusive distribution for HealthWay, a US-based air purification system, in Malaysia. The Group owns Enviroverks (M) Sdn Bhd, Enviro I.F.M. Sdn Bhd, and Red Carpet Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd.

More information about Enviro Group Asia can be found here:

Website: www.envirogroup.asia

Official Email: support@envirogroup.asia

Official Toll free: 1800-88-7900

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/envirogroupasia

Instagram: @envirogroupasia

For Media Enquiries, please contact:

Name: Ms. Rachel Khiew

Tel: +6 012 321 9790

Email: rachelkhiew@enviroverks.com.my

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While the rapid development of vaccines against COVID‑19 is an extraordinary achievement, successfully vaccinating the global population presents many challenges, from production to distribution, deployment, and importantly, acceptance. Trust in the vaccines is vital, and is critically dependant on the ability of governments to communicate the benefits of vaccination, and to deliver the vaccines safely and effectively. This brief addresses the role of governments in promoting confidence in the effectiveness and safety through effective communication, as well as trust in their ability to procure and distribute them efficiently and equitably. While only a small minority of the population holds strong anti-vaccination views, hesitancy about COVID‑19 vaccination is evident in many countries. Recognising that vaccination campaigns of the magnitude needed are unprecedented, government actions to garner trust will be essential to their success, and to the emergence of more resilient societies after the crisis.

 

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While the development of COVID‑19 vaccines has been an extraordinary success, vaccinating most of the global population is an enormous challenge, one for which gaining – and maintaining – public trust in COVID‑19 vaccines and vaccination will be as essential as the effectiveness of the vaccines themselves. Moreover, the experience with COVID‑19 will likely shape confidence in other vaccines making it even more important to build confidence at this time.

Trust in vaccination, and in the ability of governments to communicate, and to successfully deliver a vaccination programme, is critically dependent on:

• The extent to which the government can instil and maintain public confidence in the effectiveness and safety of the vaccines;
• The competence and reliability of the institutions that deliver them;
• The principles and processes that guide government decisions and actions in vaccine procurement, distribution, prioritisation, and administration;
• The capacity and effectiveness of regulatory agencies in handling issues and communicating consistently as events arise, while retaining public confidence in their review processes; and
• The effectiveness of the public engagement and communications that accompany these.

Given the speed at which COVID‑19 vaccine development has taken place it is important for governments to emphasise that no developmental or regulatory corners were cut in the process, as:

• Development was facilitated by extensive prior research, unprecedented levels of international collaboration among researchers, and massive public investment in R&D and manufacturing capacity; and
• Approval processes were accelerated, in part through procedures that allow the acceptance of more preliminary evidence in circumstances of public emergency; and with COVID‑19 products accorded the highest priority by regulators.

Successful vaccination campaigns also require governments to partner and support community organisations to conduct extensive and well-managed community engagement. A thorough understanding is needed of different populations’ specific concerns, prior experiences both with vaccination and the health system in general, religious and/or political affiliations, and socio-economic status. It is also important to ensure that government actions are open to public scrutiny, and that public institutions engage with the population, by:

• Proactively releasing timely information on vaccination strategies, modalities and accomplishments in disaggregated, user-friendly and open source formats;
• Enhancing transparent and coherent public communication to address misinformation and the “infodemic”; and
• Engaging the public when developing vaccination strategies, and in the form and content of key communications.

Finally, fairness is a hallmark of human behaviour that underpins social cohesion and trust. Governments must therefore manage public expectations and explain why it is fair that particular population groups within a country are prioritised for vaccination.

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