We Will Make Schools Safe Says Khairy

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This file pic dated March 1, shows a teacher helping a student to use hand sanitiser before the start of the session at Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Perak in Kuala Lumpur. -NSTP/ASWADI ALIAS.PUTRAJAYA: Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today gave his assurances that schools will be safe for students following the government's intensifying vaccination drive.
As such, he said teachers and the school support staff including clerical, food (canteen) and security would be vaccinated.
"We have 412,000 teachers with 96.5 per cent having at least received their first dose, and 83.5 per cent have completed both doses.
"As for the support staff, 84.8 per cent have received at least their first dose, while 68.8 have completed both doses.
"We are trying to make schools as safe as possible by vaccinating all teachers, all 100 per cent of the teachers," he said during a press conference today.
Khairy said no approval was given yet, be it in Malaysia and other countries, for those under 12 years old to get vaccination.
"Once we have enough data to support that it is safe for them to get vaccinated, we can take into consideration (plans to vaccinate them).
"As for those aged between 12 and 17, we are waiting to execute the vaccination programme. However, for the time being, we want to focus on the adults first."
Khairy said the youngsters would be vaccinated beginning some time this month after most of the adult population in the county had been vaccinated.
Meanwhile, he said, the government would set a ceiling price for Covid-19 Rapid Test Kit Antigen (RTK-Antigen) self-screening test kits.
He said the matter had been decided during the Cabinet meeting earlier today and an announcement on this would be made soon.
Khairy added that Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi was expected to announce the ceiling price of the test kit.
Currently, 14 Covid-19 self-test kits have received conditional approval from the Medical Device Authority (MDA). - NST

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