We care for our team members and our global communities. Learn more about how Frencken is supporting our team members and the worldwide communities during this challenging time.
Frencken is Staying Strong Together. Separately.
Frencken Health and Safety Precautions Against Covid-19
We care about the safety of our team members, customers and suppliers, contractors and visitors. Learn more about our safety and precautionary measures regarding Covid-19.
Frencken is Staying Strong Together. Separately.
I Survived Covid-19
The pandemic sweeping across the globe seemed to have taken the world by surprise. The ever increasing numbers of those infected and the death toll are alarming. In this exclusive, Ron Borger, the chief operating officer in NTZ Nederland BV, the Netherlands, shares his recovery journey and insights on his experience battling the virus.
How do you feel now?
I feel fine physically. Since I’ve recovered, I realized that I’m one of the few with immunity towards the virus, and my immunity can help towards halting the spread of the virus. The thought of this gives me a positive feeling.
Can you share with us your experience since you have been tested positive for Covid-19?
I got ill on Friday, March 6, around noontime, and I contacted my doctor on Monday. I was tested for Covid-19 since I had been in Northern Italy during the week of February 25. A medical team came to my house taking all the precautionary measures, and took a sample. On Wednesday, March 11, I was diagnosed with Covid-19. I was quite ill from March 6 until the following Saturday, March 14. On Sunday, I started feeling more like myself, and my health continued to improve. By Wednesday, March 18, I no longer had any symptoms, and by Thursday, March 19, I was back at work. According to the rules of the Dutch government, a recovered individual can return to work if they do not show any symptoms for 24 hours.
How has Covid-19 impacted your life and the life of your loved ones?
When I got ill, I made an agreement with my wife about the areas in the house where I would be and the areas where she would be. My areas were the bedroom and the bathroom, which makes my world very small. My wife kept sufficient distance, and luckily, she wasn’t infected with the virus. Our children don’t stay with us, so my illness didn’t affect their lives as much. Now everything has returned to normal, and only the actions taken by the Dutch government relating to Covid-19 still have an impact on our lives.
If you knew what you know today about Covid-19, what would you have done differently?
I still don’t know how and where I contracted the virus, so it’s difficult to say what I would have done differently. We went skiing with a group of nine people, and I was the only one who got ill. The day we got back from the ski trip, I went to my brother’s party, and I was the only one who got ill. My experience is that by strictly following the measures to minimize the spread of the virus taken at NTZ and in my personal life, has been essential in avoiding infecting my family, loved ones, and colleagues.
Anything else you would like to share with Frencken colleagues?
Observe and fulfill the measures to minimize the spread of the Covid-19 virus. What has been a great relief for me is the fact that I didn’t infect anyone else with the virus.
Frencken Community Outreach
Frencken Helps Keep Frontliners Safe
Frencken has reached out and is collaborating with local organizations to help keep frontliners safe as they combat Covid-19. In Malaysia, we have donated 20,000 N95 and 3-ply masks to frontliners in a joint effort with the government. We are also donating 10,000 N95 and 3-ply masks to Red Cross Society in Europe through our Europe team. It is also encouraging to see the great teamwork displayed by our China, Malaysia, and Europe team members in securing the masks and delivering them to Red Cross. Another notable effort is how our US team members have proactively created a face shield using the 3D printer in the office. The team donated 50 face shields to local US hospitals, which were greatly appreciative of the gesture.
Masks Donation to Malaysia: General Hospital Penang and Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang.