Gunaprasath Bupalan (YouTube – Emjay Communications , The Malaysia Global Business Forum , News Hub Asia , Property360Digest)
Kuala Lumpur, 04 March 2020 – Following the COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak, Malaysians are advised to stay indoors and take the necessary steps to also improve their overall indoor air wellness at home.
Dato’ Dr Rajbans Singh, President of the Malaysian Wellness Society (MWS), said “In the face of the COVID-19 outbreak, majority of us have sought to stay indoors to avoid being exposed to crowded places where we may be at risk of contracting the virus or falling ill.
While this is the practical thing to do, Malaysians should also ensure that their air quality at home is at a tip-top level. As such, we strongly urge the public to be holistic and proactive in taking charge of their indoor wellness and work towards creating a healthier indoor environment, while maintaining good hygiene habits in accordance to WHO* and Ministry of Health (MOH)** guidelines.”
*https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
**http://www.moh.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/2019-ncov-wuhan-infografik
The COVID-19 outbreak, which has now reached more than 70 countries (Source: Ministry of Health Malaysia, http://www.moh.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/2019-ncov-wuhan) worldwide and affected tens of thousands of people, has been declared a Global Health Emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) 30 January 2020. Most recently, on 29 February 2020, WHO has increased the COVID-19 risk assessment to “very high at a global level” in terms of spread and impact.
Dato’ Dr Rajbans continued, “The public needs to understand that Environmental Wellness is an important dimension within the Wellness Wheel, which comprises of 7 dimensions related to individual’s overall health and wellness – emotional, intellectual, physical, social, environmental, financial, and spiritual.
All dimensions are interconnected and play an important role in achieving a well-rounded, holistic and balanced lifestyle. Many tend to overlook Indoor wellness due to its ‘almost invisible’ nature. I hope that through the Indoor Wellness Guideline, we can further educate Malaysian homeowners on the importance of good indoor air quality through various awareness and educational initiatives.”
The Indoor Wellness Guideline was developed by Malaysian Society of Allergy & Immunology (MSAI) in collaboration with Nippon Paint to further educate the public on why indoor wellness is important and practical steps on ways one can minimise or eliminate indoor pollutants. The Indoor Wellness Guideline is available for download here: www.nipponpaint.com.my/indoorwellness
Speaking on the Indoor Wellness Guideline, Gladys Goh, Group General Manager of Nippon Paint Malaysia Group said, “Based on research amongst 225 parents, more than 70% of young children below the age of 12 years old spend an average of 8 to 20 hours indoors daily. With this insight, we hope that every Malaysian homeowner will be more aware, educated and empowered to take charge of their indoor wellness and work towards providing a safer environment for themselves and their loved ones. We wanted to demonstrate how indoor wellness is an ‘almost invisible’ element in our lives but one that presents dangers if it’s overlooked, which is all the more relevant now with the exposure to various types of viruses and bacteria.”
The Indoor Wellness Guideline was developed in conjunction with Nippon Paint’s Indoor Wellness Programme, an educational campaign aimed at empowering Malaysian homeowners to take charge of improving their overall indoor air quality at home, towards a more holistic wellness.
As both adults and children spend many hours indoors, they are surrounded by walls which is the largest indoor surface for the transmission of viruses and bacteria – aside from other indoor air pollutants that are present in their homes. With this in mind, Nippon Paint had undertaken the Indoor Wellness Survey intending to assess the habit of Malaysian homeowners when it comes to the cleanliness of various spaces at home.
Through the Indoor Wellness Survey conducted last year, it was revealed that 60% of surveyed Malaysians (or 6 out of every 10 respondents) have poor indoor air quality. The Survey, which polled 511 respondents, was aimed at assessing the habits of Malaysian homeowners when it comes to the cleanliness of 4 areas of the home – the living room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen.
Nippon Paint’s focus on wellness goes back to 2006 with the launch of the industry’s first odourless paint, followed by the Green Choice Series which is made to be eco-friendly. With a focus on research and development (R&D), Nippon Paint continuously introduced industry-firsts innovation such as Malaysia’s first anti-viral coating with the ability to inhibit the growth of viruses and bacteria that cause illnesses such as Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) and H1N1 (Influenza A).
The CHEAT SHEET below is an excerpt from the Indoor Wellness Guideline, which aims to provide the public with easy tips on how to improve their overall indoor wellness at home.
The full version of the Indoor Wellness Guideline is available for download here à www.nipponpaint.com.my/indoorwellness
For more information on Nippon Paint Malaysia:
Website: www.nipponpaint.com.my
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nipponpaintmalaysia
YouTube: www.youtube.com/NipponPaintMalaysia
Toll-free no: 1-800-88-2663
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