PUTRAJAYA: Stringent measures have been put in place to manage risks and threats of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2020’s 1st Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM1) and Related Meetings which started here today.
The APEC 2020 National Secretariat in a statement today said it was working closely with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and other relevant authorities to ensure the safety of delegates and all parties involved in the series of meetings.
The secretariat said the safety and precautionary measures undertaken includes providing liquid sanitizers at various locations at meeting venues and accommodations throughout SOM1 and Related Meetings; providing suitable surgical disposable face masks for all delegates and working members of APEC 2020; providing non-contact thermometer to check body temperatures at all information counters; and imposing self-declaration forms to delegates arriving at the airports.
In addition the secretariat said the authorities would also have in place medical centres at all meeting venues; 24-hour on-call medical officers from MoH for any medical needs; mobile clinic at all side event venues; as well as isolation rooms at all meeting venues.
Other measures taken for the safety, health and wellbeing of delegates include the placement of thermal body scanners for their use upon arrival at KLIA & klia2.
Advocate health measures through video presentation would also be undertaken before every meeting as well as providing daily updates of the coronovirus status in Malaysia by MoH to APEC 2020 Secretariat which in turn would be communicated to the delegates
The secretariat said it would also accommodate meeting through remote participation by APEC 2020 delegates who were unable to physically attend SOM1 in Malaysia.
The 1st SOM1 and related meetings commenced today with a total of 102 meetings, workshops, activities and field trips that will be organised by various Ministries and Agencies and will last until Feb 22.
The secretariat said to date, more than 1700 delegates from 21 economies had registered for the various meetings.
Discussions in the meeting will be centred on setting the work plan for their respective Committees and Working Groups, in progressing Shared Prosperity agenda aligned with the APEC 2020 theme.
“Officials together with the private sectors will be deliberating on issues that include business mobility, food security, sustainable development, customs procedure, standards setting, health and intellectual property rights.”
Malaysia has chosen “Optimising Human Potential towards a Future of Shared Prosperity” as the theme for APEC 2020.