GEORGE TOWN – Penang will support parent groups who want health authorities to be more transparent about Covid-19 cases in schools after a spate of infections were reported at education institutions here.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state will lend its support to parents who want health authorities to disclose, with immediate effect, the schools, locations and districts that record Covid-19 cases, and to consider temporarily shutting entire schools instead of just the affected classes.
“Even the state is not privy to the level of infection (information) compiled by the Health Ministry. We are liaising and trying to seek more information.”
Chow said the state wants better rapport to be established between state education authorities, state government agencies and parents, who are confused over standard operating procedures concerning schools that record infections.
Penang has recorded 92 fresh infections, bringing the grand total to 18,467 cases among residents and migrant workers, making the state among the top infected localities in the country.
“We have 10 (active) clusters now, of which seven are in the industrial area. I do not think the infection is rampant in schools, but we need to be careful and alert.”
Asked if the state is worried about the new surge in the past week, Chow said authorities need to get back to the state over such concerns.
What is disheartening, Chow said, is the low level of people accepting the vaccination initiative by the government, saying that 20% of senior citizens who were invited to be vaccinated in Penang have postponed doing so, and immunisation in the community is well below the state’s expectations.
“It was reported that around 600,000 inhabitants in Penang have registered, which is about 40% of an estimated population base of 1.6 million,” he said. – The Vibes, April 20, 2021
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