KUALA LUMPUR: Despite the emergence of new Covid-19 clusters involving boarding schools, the Health Ministry won’t be imposing a blanket closure because the circumstances usually are not extreme.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin additionally stated that to implement widespread closures on boarding schools as a consequence of a manageable quantity of clusters can be a “backward transfer”.
“We have vaccinated 90% of our youngsters thus far. Covid-19 infections are going to occur, this is one thing that we can’t keep away from.
“Today, solely international locations like China nonetheless attempt to impose a zero-Covid coverage.
“Majority of the circumstances on the boarding schools are both delicate or asymptomatic infections, and the optimistic ones may be remoted.
“So I see that there is no must impose a blanket ruling and shut all boarding schools. I believe that is a backward transfer.
“We take mitigation actions the place there are new clusters, however will we cease kids from going to schools? No.
“We need schools to be opened and need our youngsters to attend class.
“We should progress ahead and consider within the effectivity of vaccines and our preventive measures,” stated Khairy at a press convention in Parliament on Thursday (Jan 20).
Khairy stated from the primary epidemiology week of 2022 as much as Jan 19, a complete of 52 Covid-19 clusters involving the schooling sector had emerged.
Some 30 clusters (57.7%) contain secondary schools, of which 27 of them are boarding schools.
Of the 52 schooling sector clusters, 44 of their index circumstances originated from college students.
The relaxation of the clusters had been traced to index circumstances who’re academics, college students or supporting workers.
