Grab Myanmar Commits to Support Partners Affected by COVID-19

Yangon, Myanmar, 27 March 2020 – As Myanmar responds to the challenges of COVID–19, Grab will continue operations of its transportation and food delivery services to support driver-partners and delivery-partners to sustain their livelihoods, as well as assist food merchant-partners who have been hit hard by declining sales and are now heavily reliant on food delivery services such as GrabFood to generate revenue.

Grab Partner Relief Fund

Grab regards the health and safety of its driver-partners and delivery-partners as a top priority and has committed USD 20,000 to establish a Grab Partner Relief Fund. Any eligible driver-partner and delivery-partner who is diagnosed with COVID‑19 or officially placed into quarantine by the health authorities will receive MMK 200,000 to cover their loss of earnings during the period of hospitalisation or quarantine, and to help them support their families.

Eligibility for financial assistance under the Grab Partner Relief Fund applies to all GrabFood delivery-partners who are active and working on the platform, as well as any driver-partner who has been on the Grab platform since or before December 2019 and has completed 100 rides from December 2019 to February 2020. Driver-partners and delivery-partners who seek to receive financial assistance from Grab Myanmar will need to submit a notice from MOHS confirming their COVID-19 diagnosis, or the requirement of a mandatory 14-day quarantine at facilities designated by the Ministry of Health and Sports (MOHS).

Contact Tracing of Driver-Partners and Passengers

Grab Myanmar is on hand to support local authorities with contact tracing should the need arise. Grab has developed a dashboard which allows quick identification of passengers and drivers who were picked up by a driver-partner within a period of time, and all driver-partners who picked up a particular passenger within a period of time. Each tracing search takes less than five minutes and the levels of tracing can be expanded if needed.

Extension of Measures to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19

As part of its Safer Everyday commitment, Grab has implemented measures to potential challenges related to COVID-19 in Myanmar. In February 2020, Grab Myanmar commenced distribution of thousands of medical face masks and hand sanitizers, along with steps on how to use these items, to driver-partners in Yangon and Mandalay.

Grab Myanmar has implemented new COVID–19 measures which include:

  •    Sharing advisories at Grab Driver Centres: Grab has been sharing advisories to driver-partners to advise them on precautionary hygiene and safety tips as guided by Myanmar’s Ministry of Health and Sports. Grab will continue to share these updates on social media and via in-app notifications. In addition, Grab will share a series of educational videos on social media to increase awareness among driver-partners and delivery-partners on hygiene practices to include as part of their daily routine.
  • Reporting of passengers or drivers with suspected illness: A new reporting channel in theGrab App’s Help Center now allows passengers and drivers to submit reports to Grab’s 24-hour Customer Service Department should they suspect a driver or passenger to be ill. The Grab Customer Service team will investigate these claims, and if found to be true, will temporarily suspend the driver-partner or passenger’s account until a medical clearance note is provided.
  • Ensuring best hygiene practices for food deliveries: As more people in Yangon rely on the GrabFood delivery service,Grab Myanmar has shared guidance with restaurant partners to advise them to maintain the highest levels of cleanliness and hygiene. In addition, Grab Myanmar will implement the highest standards of food hygiene at its soon-to-be-launched GrabKitchen facility which will house various GrabFood merchant-partners who will prepare meals specifically for delivery to customers.

All Grab Myanmar driver-partners and delivery-partners are repeatedly reminded to stay vigilant, exercise caution and pay attention to personal hygiene. Driver and delivery-partners have also been advised to wear a medical mask while ferrying passengers or delivering food orders. They have been advised to seek immediate medical attention if they feel unwell or suspect an encounter with someone who is ill.

 To request assistance, Grab users can call the 24/7 Customer Service hotline: +959-97-708-3330. For more information about Grab Myanmar, visit www.grab.com or www.facebook.com/GrabMM.