KOTA KINABALU – Families in Sabah are taking advantage of the state’s eased Covid-19 restrictions to go out shopping.
However, checks with the Sabah National Security Council revealed that parents are still not allowed to bring their children with them to public areas, including shopping centres, under the conditional movement control order (CMCO).
In fact, most parents have no qualms bringing their children to malls as long as they adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs) like wearing face masks and using hand sanitisers.
Theresa, 32, from Penampang said that she brought her two primary school children shopping for school supplies.
“They will be starting school soon so I need to buy school supplies for them.
“My children have their masks on and I also have a bottle of hand sanitiser so, yes, as long as we follow the SOPs its ok,” she said.
Likewise homemaker Patricia, 38, was also out shopping with her three children for the first time in a while.
“Today is the first time I have brought them out shopping.
“I understand it's allowed under the government's CMCO SOPs.
“As long as we follow SOPs, I feel it shouldn’t be an issue.
“My children are wearing masks and I also tell them not to simply touch things.
“I also get them to sanitise their hands before they get into the car after shopping,” she added.
Another parent, Nur Aisha, 30, who was with her 4-year-old son Adam said that she was confident in the government’s efforts to control the pandemic.
“We are all wearing face masks and we sanitise our hands before and after entering the shops.
So I am confident to bring my child along as we also refrain him from touching surfaces and items in the shop,” she added. – The Vibes, February 22, 2021
