LABUAN – A small number of school teachers here have yet to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, ahead of school reopening on September 1.
Labuan Education director Yusup Mohamad said unvaccinated teachers (mostly women) constituted 3% (40) of Labuan’s total of 1,332 school teachers.
“We have received feedback from these unvaccinated teachers on why they have yet to get the shots. Twenty of them have just given birth (between June and July) or are pregnant, while the remaining 20 have chronic diseases like cancer or heart problems, allergies to injections, or lung complications,” he said today.
He said a vaccine briefing by Labuan Health Department director Dr Ismuni Bohari would be held tomorrow for unvaccinated teachers.
“As far as we are concerned, we want every single teacher to be fully vaccinated before school reopens next month. This is our initiative towards 100% immunity for Labuan’s school teachers.
“They have all been informed that they must be fully vaccinated before school reopening.
“We understand that some teachers have their own perceptions of vaccination. They think that those having chronic illnesses must not be vaccinated. We believe that the various views on social media play a part in this.
“We will have a face-to-face discussion with these unvaccinated teachers at their homes beginning today. Most of them are in their 40s and above and are from various states in the peninsula, Sabah, and Labuan,” Yusup said.
He also said that vaccination had also been extended to those providing services to the schools such as canteen operators and workers and contractors.
“School administration staff (170 of them) like clerks and operations and lab assistants are also ensured vaccination. Of the number, only two have yet to get the shots due to postponement by the doctors,” he said. – Bernama, August 3, 2021
