There are still 26 teachers out of the 4,710 teachers in the state who are refusing the Covid-19 vaccine, said Perlis state executive councillor in charge of education, Rozieana Ahmad.
She said they are being persuaded to get vaccinated before school reopens.
“We need to coax them to ensure school runs smoothly and the safety of students, particularly,” she told reporters at the Perlis State Assembly Complex today where the august house is sitting.
The Pauh assemblywoman (BN) said school staffers need to get vaccinated but the 26 teachers are still not ready due to some reasons like a chronic illness.
“I’m appealing to them to consider the students rather than themselves to prevent the children from falling behind,” she said.
Perlis has the highest infectivity rate (Rt) in the country as of yesterday.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said Perlis recorded an Rt value of 1.31 that was higher than the national average that stood at 1.04.
Selangor recorded an Rt value of 1.0 while Labuan reported an Rt value of zero.
Dr Noor Hisham said, the ministry also detected 38 new Covid-19, with 22 of them being workplace clusters, the remaining 14 were community clusters and another two were educational clusters.
High-risk groups, especially those with chronic diseases should not be afraid and worried of Covid-19 vaccination as it can help reduce the severity of symptoms if these individuals are infected with the virus.
According to Dr Nurazam Omar, an internal medicine specialist at KPJ Perlis Specialist Hospital, the vaccines also work as a shield that can help mitigate the risks of Covid-19 infection among persons with chronic diseases who are also among those in the high-risk groups.
"People with no medical conditions and those with chronic diseases have an equivalent ratio of possible Covid-19 vaccination side effects. Therefore, those with chronic diseases need not worry about getting vaccinated.
"Those on certain medications or undergoing any treatment should also not worry about getting vaccinated because it is safe," he told Bernama.
Members of the public should play their role by keeping an eye on their neighbourhoods, and alerting the police if anyone returns without the permission of the authorities, says Perlis police chief, Datuk Surina Saad.
She said that the information was needed to enable the police to take firm action against those who were still being obstinate in not complying with the 2021 Hari Raya Aidilfitri standard operating procedures (SOPs).
"Other than public tip-offs, the police will also increase the number of compliance teams, and will take stringent action against individuals, including in housing areas.
Perak is confident of vaccinating all state residents by the end of this year including the Orang Asli community in rural areas in every district.
Mentri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad said the state government will be preparing mobile vaccination centres (PPV) specifically to vaccinate the Orang Asli.
“For those Orang Asli situated near the town such as Tapah and Kampar is reachable, but difficult to reach those in rural areas such as the Orang Asli settlements in Hulu Perak.
Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man is giving priority to frontline personnel and the people to get their first vaccine shots under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
Azlan said as the vaccine doses were limited, he decided not to take the vaccine to give way to those who really need the vaccination.
“What is more important is the people. If there is a balance, Insya-Allah I will get it later,” he told reporters at the launching of the state-level immunisation programme at Kampung Gial Health Clinic here, today.
Perlis allows three "nat" (weekend markets) in the state to operate during the movement control order (MCO) period beginning this Friday, says Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man today.
The three markets are at Simpang Empat, Arau and Kuala Perlis.
Azlan, however, said night markets were not allowed to operate during the MCO period but would be replaced with morning markets.
He said the Kangar Municipal Council (MPK) would issue guidelines on the maximum number of traders and visitors allowed at the markets.
The Perlis Manpower Department is conducting a special operation beginning today until February 28 to ensure all 2,562 registered foreign workers in the state undergo Covid-19 screening tests.
Its director, Iskandar Jassa, said the move was taken in order to contain the pandemic among the community.
“Today, we visited 11 employers and found only one of them had conducted Covid-19 screening for its workers,” he told reporters here, today.
He urged all employers to do so immediately or face the consequences.
KANGAR, Dec 30 ― People from Covid-19 red zones entering Perlis are advised to notify the Kangar Health Office to check on their health and undergo risk assessment.
Perlis Health Director Dr Sirajuddin Hashim said those with symptoms must immediately go to the nearby health clinics to get treatment, undergo Covid-19 test and be quarantined.
KANGAR: People from Covid-19 red zones entering Perlis are advised to notify the Kangar Health Office to check on their health and undergo risk assessment.
Perlis Health Director Dr Sirajuddin Hashim said those with symptoms must immediately go to the nearby health clinics to get treatment, undergo Covid-19 test and be quarantined.
Kanger International Bhd (Kanger) said it has received support from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Malaysia (MOSTI) to purchase Covid-19 vaccines for private sector use in Malaysia.
In a statement today, the company said the National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia (NIBM) -- an agency under MOSTI -- has no objections for the company to liaise with the China National Pharmaceutical Group Corporation (Sinopharm) on the purchase of the vaccines.
Perlis