KUALA LUMPUR: Explanation on the Covid-19 vaccine should be given on an ongoing basis to adolescents and students so that they are more aware of disease prevention in curbing the spread of the pandemic.

       National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Wang Heng Suan said even though there was no law requiring students to take the vaccine, counsellors at state education departments, district education offices and schools should play their part in raising awareness on the importance of vaccination.

       “Vaccination is very important to curb the spread of Covid-19, thus ensuring the education system functions well.

       “Administering vaccine to adolescents is the best way to prevent infection among them.

       “Parents should also understand the pandemic situation and cooperate by registering their children as vaccine recipients so that the country’s education ecosystem is not affected.

       “We are confident all schools will adhere to the standard operating procedure (SOP) stipulated by the Education Ministry, including measures to curb transmission when students begin to return to school in stages from Oct 3,” he said.

       The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Adolescents was officially launched on Sept 20, targeting some 3.2 million teenagers, aged between 12 and 17.

       The programme started earlier in Sarawak on Sept 8 and Labuan on Sept 11 after the vaccination rate there achieved 80%, while in Sabah the programme started on Sept 16 due to the geographical locations.

       Malaysian Headmasters Council president Sukimin Juki said inoculating students was the best way to create a safe ecosystem in schools.

       “Besides teachers, management and support staff, students also need to be vaccinated to create a safe bubble among them.

       “Maybe not 100% but this is one of the best measures to create a safe ecosystem for now,” he said.

       Malaysian School Principals Council vice-president Mohd Ariffin Abdul Rahman said although school staff and students have been vaccinated, the best course of action was to comply with all the SOP that have been outlined.

       “If you have been vaccinated but do not adhere to the guidelines, there is still a possibility of getting infected and falling sick. We don’t want that to happen,” he said. — Bernama