Weekly Covid-19 tests for pupils

PUTRAJAYA: Primary school pupils will be required to undergo weekly Covid-19 screenings beginning Monday (Nov 29), said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said the move was part of the National Covid-19 Testing Strategy (NTS) that required primary pupils to undergo screening as they are not eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine due to their age.

It was also aimed at preventing the emergence of Covid-19 clusters in schools, he said.

“Tests should be implemented on at least 10 per cent of the sample (students) of the school population by rotation, on a different sample each week and should be carried out regardless of whether the pupils have symptoms or not,” he said in a press conference on the development of Covid-19 here yesterday.

The NTS document can be accessed at https://covid-19.moh. gov.my/reopeningsafely/nts.

According to the document, screenings should be done using the self-test RTK-Antigen kits with monitoring from the school.

Khairy also said the Ministry of Health (MOH) will intensify enforcement, particularly at business premises and restaurants, following reports that traders are no longer checking customers’ vaccination status.

He said the MOH viewed the current Covid-19 situation seriously, and measures were taken to reduce the infection rate.

“Apart from efforts to expand booster recipients, the MOH has also intensified enforcement, especially at business premises.

This is because the MOH has received reports that many business premises are no longer checking customers’ vaccination status.

“I have instructed the ministry’s enforcement division to review business premises and issue compounds to those who do not check the customers’ vaccination status and comply with standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the MOH,” he said.

Khairy said that all states except Perlis, Sarawak and Sabah showed an increase in Covid-19 cases, due to flexibilities allowed for interstate travel starting Oct 11.

On the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine, Khairy said Health Ministry and Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry will set the ceiling price, which would be announced next week.