GEORGE TOWN: Penang is requesting that all teachers and students be vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine ahead of the reopening of schools next month.

       State housing, local government, town and country planning committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the safety and health of students and teachers should not be taken lightly as the number of daily Covid-19 positive cases in the country is still high.

       “In my opinion, all children should be given the same opportunity to receive the vaccine. Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow through the National Security Council has recorded a request for Penang to also be given the opportunity to receive the vaccine,” he said.

       Jagdeep was informed that the vaccination for students aged 12 to 15 in Sarawak had started and would be followed by Selangor.

       Meanwhile, as at Sept 9, 1.33 million people in Penang have registered as vaccine recipients and those fully vaccinated in Penang have reached 51.1% or 906,768 recipients while 1.2 million people (69.5%) received their first dose.

       As of yesterday, Penang recorded a total of 103,149 cases of Covid-19 infection with 11,969 active cases and 850 deaths. — Bernama