KUCHING, Aug 29: Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong asserts that more must be done to protect the safety of unvaccinated children below the age of 12-years old attending preschools and childcare centers in the State.
She pointed out that although close to 98 per cent of teachers, assistant teachers and caregivers of pre-school and childcare centres in the state have been fully vaccinated, none of their young charges have been vaccinated because they are below the age of 12.
“How can our respected state minister, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah be so blatant as to give false confidence to our parents that it’s safe when only the teachers, caregivers and staff of the preschools and childcare are vaccinated?
“It would be a greater danger if the teachers and caregivers are asymptomatic because they are vaccinated,” she opined.
Yong was responding to Fatimah’s statement on Aug 26 revealing that 98 per cent of teachers, assistant teachers and caregivers at preschools and childcare centres in Sarawak have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Yong opined the press release by the minister concerned was just a publicity stunt to show how well State-ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has performed in vaccinating preschool teachers and childcare caregivers, when in fact it is still not safe for young children to attend preschools and childcare.
“I would like to appeal to our State ministers to avoid all publicity stunts during this pandemic and truly focus on the well-being of our beloved Sarawakians.
“The GPS government should focus on the improved standard operating procedures (SOPs) that can be carried out in the preschools and childcare so that the younger generation can flourish in a safer environment,” she said.
Yong pointed out that as the Delta variant is more contagious, new ways to curb infections should be proposed.
“Sarawak GPS government should be well aware that Sarawak is very far from Peninsular Malaysia, and we are quite different here.
“Having said so, we must develop a set of SOP that caters to our communities locally to curb the spread of Covid-19,” she said. — DayakDaily
