KUALA TERENGGANU – About 100 teachers in Terengganu refused to get Covid-19 vaccine shots, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar today.
He said the total only represented a small percentage of the overall total teachers serving in the state.
“I do not know their excuses for not receiving vaccine jabs.
“I only told them to reconsider their decision for the good of all parties including their families and pupils,” he told reporters after the opening ceremony of the fourth term of the 14th Terengganu Legislative Assembly at Wisma Darul Iman here.
Samsuri said for the time being, the only approach is to persuade them to accept the vaccination as there are no regulations or laws to take any action against them.
Asked whether the teachers who declined vaccination need to undergo random Covid-19 screening tests when the school session starts, Samsuri said, “It maybe one way. If they are willing to take Covid-19 test every two weeks, it is up to them.
State Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment Committee chairman Alias Razak when met said occupancy of intensive care unit (ICU) beds now is still high at more than 75% which is a factor why Terengganu has not moved into Phase 3 of the National Recovery Plan.
“We need the ICU occupancy rate to be at 50% to move into Phase 3, but we are more than 75% now. This is because Covid-19 patients’ admission into ICU lasts for 21 days, and this is a long time.
“Even though daily ICU admissions are small, occupancy got increasingly higher over time as there is the wait for 21 days,” he said and expected ICU bed usage to drop in three weeks.
In another development, State Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, Micro Industry and Hawker Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Nurkhuzaini Ab Rahman who was confirmed positive with Covid-19, is now in stable condition.
He said the Kota Putera assemblyman was admitted to Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital last week after being confirmed positive with Covid-19, having fever. Nurkhuzaini is expected to be discharged from the hospital soon. – Bernama, September 13, 2021
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