A FRIEND from church with three young children has been very anxious over the past week or so. Her children are about to start the new school session, and she is worried about what lies ahead.
While she is eager to see her children back at school to continue with their academic development, she is worried as there are constant talks that the Covid-19 infection is still a public threat in Miri – even though the health authorities keep publishing figures that seem to indicate Miri has no more Covid-19 cases.
She said it will be good if the school management can organise briefings for parents before the new school year starts to allow parents to raise queries on issues that worry them.
One of her kids is in primary school and she is worried about the intended move by the government to jab kids below 12 with the newly developed Covid-19 vaccine for children.
Until now, none of the schools in Miri have bothered to convene meetings with the pupils’ parents.
I think the local elected representative or wakil rakyat should do more in such matters to liaise with schools in their constituencies and look into the concerns of the parents and public, especially on matters pertaining to public health and safety.
The latest issue of public interest in Sarawak now is regarding the imminent move by the government to vaccinate children below the age of 12 with the Covid-19 children’s vaccine.
Parents in Sarawak are starting to express worries that their kids below 12 may be used as “guinea pigs” to try out the new vaccine.
These anxious parents have sent messages of concern to the Sarawak Public Communications Unit after it published news last week quoting Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian as saying that Sarawak will be the “first state to inject kids aged below 12 with the new vaccine against Covid-19”.
“Dr Sim, why do you always want Sarawakians to be the first to try out new vaccines?” asked netizen Zakiyah Nawi in her message on the unit’s official website.
Another parent, Gadrel Jen, asked why Sarawak leaders have volunteered the state to be the first to administer the new vaccine.
“Sarawak always wants to be the first to have new vaccines, why? Have you (Sarawak leaders) done any extensive studies on the effects of these vaccines on small children?
“Even adults have suffered serious side-effects after vaccination. We (parents) are worried about the impact the vaccine can have on our children who are very small,” she said.
Netizen Mohd Azmi Ahmad urged Sarawak leaders to exercise caution with the vaccination of small children.
Don’t go around volunteering our kids for new vaccines.
We parents want to be given more details first,” he said.
“There must be briefings by the Health Department and schools to allow us parents to learn more before we let our kids be injected with the new vaccine,” he said.
Another parent, Mohd Ramli, said he will not allow his kids to be vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine without further input from the health and school authorities.
“I will not allow my children to simply be vaccinated, just like that,” he stressed.
Dr Sim, in his announcement as posted by the State Public Communication Unit, said Sarawak will be the first state to vaccinate kids below 12 starting February.
Dr Sim is advisor to the State Disaster Management Committee. He had said the Sarawak government is acquiring the Covid-19 vaccines for children now.
This sort of sudden announcements on issues of such a serious nature can ignite sudden fears.
Dr Sim should have liaised with schools and community bodies to first organise a series of dialogues with parents in small groups, which will lessen chances of the infection spreading.
Don’t trigger anxiety by announcing such a major decision affecting people at large without proper briefings.
These concerns of parents with very young kids are understandable. They are afraid of the potentially adverse impact of the new Covid-19 vaccine on their little kids.
Their fears and anxieties are real. They are not anti-vaxxers, they are merely expressing genuine concerns over what lies ahead for their children.
The YBs, the Health Department and the schools will do well to soothe these parents’ anxieties by offering them a venue to raise their queries.
Give them answers. Do not treat the rakyat’s concerns lightly. – The Vibes, January 9, 2022
