By Zareef Muzammil
SHAH ALAM, April 28 — The state government is prepared to support schools in the state to prevent an increase in Covid-19 cases, says Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari.
The Menteri Besar said the proposed initiative to hand out free face masks, especially to pupils from lower-income (B40) households, will be coordinated through the Selangor State Education Department.
“We welcome the government’s preventive actions (recommendation of face mask use in all schools) in response to the emergence of a new Covid-19 variant.
“I will contact the Education Department if they are in need of support. Perhaps we will coordinate (in helping with) the face masks for students whose parents are of the low-income group,” said Amirudin when met after attending the Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad Hari Raya open house at the MBSA Convention Centre, here yesterday.
During the previous Covid-19 outbreak, the Selangor administration gave 1.3 million free reusable face masks to 995,000 students in the state to ease the burden of families.
Meanwhile, Amirudin had also encouraged the public, particularly those with comorbidities, to get the Covid-19 booster does at the nearest clinics or hospitals to lessen the symptoms of the infection.
“The Covid-19 symptoms have been shown to improve with the booster dose. Many of the cases from the past six to 12 months are stage three or below.
“These cases wouldn’t need to be referred to the hospital and only call for self-isolation. Therefore, this is evident that (the booster shot) can lessen the effects of the Covid-19 infection,” he said.
Yesterday, the Health Ministry encouraged people to continue wearing face masks in public places or if they have symptoms of Covid-19 following the emergence of new omicron subvariants.
However, due to the decrease in the number of cases, its minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said that face mask-wearing is not mandatory.
On Wednesday, Dr Zaliha said that the ministry will propose that all students wear face masks in schools again to prevent a resurgence of Covid-19 due to the new XBBB1.16 variant, or Arcturus.
She said she would call an urgent meeting with Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek to discuss the matter ahead of the reopening of schools on May 2.
