KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 — The Hotspots Identification for Dynamic Engagement system (HIDE) will allow the government to take a sharper and more transparent approach in containing the Covid-19 pandemic, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Khairy Jamaluddin said today.
In a special media conference on HIDE today, Khairy explained that the system allows for risk assessment as well as forward and backward contact tracing of a particular hotspot and ultimately acts as a pre-emptive measure to contain Covid-19.
“By using this system, we will able to identify potential hotspots ahead of time. These potential hotspots which are identified from HIDE will be publicised so that broad-based intervention can take place by the premise owners.
“Broad-based intervention will be implemented at potential hotspots to test workers at the affected premises and to increase gatekeeping measures to inspect the MySejahtera risk status at check-in and to refuse high risk individuals as well as HSO (Home Surveillance Order) breakers and perhaps also close contacts individuals.
“Third is to tighten crowd control, lower the number of occupants at all times and to have better on-premise surveillance, omnipresence by police, Rela or PGM,’’ said Khairy.
Khairy further explained that the list of potential hotspots will be published to the public so they can make an informed decision on whether to visit these locations or for premise owners and employers to take the necessary actions to rectify the situation and ultimately contain any possible Covid-19 outbreak.
Khairy said the HIDE will take into account several factors including crowd density, confined spaces and air ventilation to predict whether a particular location could potentially be a Covid-19 hotspot.
The HIDE system also fully utilised the MySejahtera application where close contacts of a particular hotspots will also be notified, said Khairy.
However, Khairy also stated that any decision to initiate targeted movement control order or movement control in the publicised Covid-19 hotspot is not within his ministry’s purview.
“As far as decision on movement control is concerned that is the decision to be made by MKN (National Security Council). HIDE is a system to identify early and allow intervention to take place,’’ he said.
In the press conference, Khairy said that HIDE had identified 1,660 hotspots nationwide, with bazaars, office space, shopping malls among the most recorded places with high Covid-19 infections, especially in the Klang Valley.
Khairy said residential areas are also an area of concern for local authorities.
“Residential areas are still a blind spot, we really need residential areas, including condominiums, high rise [buildings], especially dense residential areas to put the MySejahtera QR code there,’’ said Khairy.
