PETALING JAYA: As school children once again resume physical classes, health experts say schools need to ensure they have good ventilation systems while regular Covid-19 testing should also be conducted to ensure the safety of students as well as school staff.
“There should be other ways of reducing the risk of transmission to our children. We have learnt a lot about what can and cannot be taught or learnt through online education,” said Universiti Malaya public health medicine specialist Prof Dr Victor Hoe.
“As a lecturer in a university, we have also adapted to online education. So, we need to take what we have learnt and use it as an opportunity to reboot our school system.
“We can convert some lessons to online videos, websites or gamifying learning. Physical time at the school should then focus on things that cannot be taught online, like social, communications and motor skills,” he said when contacted.
On Aug 15, Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin said schools in Phase Two onwards of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) would reopen in stages starting from today.
Schools in Phase Two would be allowed to open for exam year students while schools in Phase Three could open in full.
Dr Hoe said schools had to ensure that the environment there was safe for both students and staff.
“Most of our public schools have good ventilation, as they have big windows on both sides with the use of ceiling fans.
“There should also be a limit to the use of air-conditioners in classrooms, as most of the air-conditioners are split units that do not bring in fresh air,” he said.
Dr Hoe pointed out that experiences in the past year had shown that transmission of Covid-19 happened in the workplace during mealtimes, and not while they were working.
As of Oct 2, 50.4% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 have received their first dose, while 2.3% have been fully vaccinated.
However, with more than 86% of the adult population fully vaccinated, Dr Hoe said this meant that parents of school-going children would have been vaccinated.
As such, he said if parents and children follow the standard operating procedure while at home, then the chances of the child getting infected was very low.
He added that this would also lower the chances of children bringing the infection to school.
“If we cannot ensure that children are vaccinated, we can ensure that their parents and guardians and teachers are vaccinated.
“But, if some parents are reluctant to send their children to school, we should also allow this and continue to offer support to all parents and children,” he said.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia health economics, hospital and health management Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said the risk of Covid-19 was still present as the virus could easily be passed on by families members or the community.
This, she said, might lead to children getting the virus in schools or bring the virus to schools and infect others.
“For those not completed or are still waiting for their vaccines, they are advised to continue with their home teaching and learning (PdPR) lessons,” she said.
She added that the SOP must be stricter too.
“They can’t be put in a crowded class and should wear face masks as much as possible.
“Regular Covid-19 testing for unvaccinated and also vaccinated students, if they are mixing with unvaccinated students, should be carried out,” she said.
Dr Sharifa added that Covid-19 testing could be done via self-test kits.
In a study released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it noted that transmission risks remain elevated among unvaccinated persons in schools, adding that strict adherence to multiple non-pharmaceutical prevention strategies, including wearing a face mask, are important to ensure a safe environment in schools.