KUALA LUMPUR: Non-governmental organisations have called on the government to make vaccination mandatory for all, especially teachers, students and parents.
In the wake of reports over vaccine hesitancy among students and their parents, the National Parents-Teacher Associations Consultative Council (PIBGN) said this would ensure schools remained safe from Covid-19 infections when schools reopen.
Council president Datuk Mohamad Ali Hassan said those who refused to get vaccinated without valid health reasons should continue with teaching and learning from home (PdPR).
"Vaccination is not mandatory or compulsory in Malaysia, but it is important to look at the issue from the broader point of a community's health and safety, and people's livelihood. We would like to see everybody (including the educational fraternity) get vaccinated.
"We propose a regulation that only those who have completed their vaccination be allowed on school compounds. Those who refuse vaccination, including teachers and students, can continue their lessons via PdPR."
Ali was asked to comment on reports of vaccine hesitancy following the move to vaccinate those aged 12 and above.
He said the Education Ministry could ensure that the health and safety of society outweighed the needs of an individual.
The council proposed for schools to provide guidance and counselling to students and parents who were vaccine hesitant.
Ali urged the authorities to set up vaccination centres for schoolchildren.
"Vaccination can be done in a more efficient manner if the venue is on school compounds," he said.
Alliance for Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said an educational approach to address vaccine hesitancy would be more effective, especially when it involved people from different socioeconomic groups.
He said the Health Ministry could help by sharing data on Intensive Care Unit admissions on whether patients had been vaccinated.
By understanding the benefits of vaccination, he said, more people would open up to the idea of getting the jab.
"The statistics are important to convince those who are on the fence about the benefits of vaccination.
"People can make better and more informed decisions about the vaccines if they are backed by data from the authorities," he said.
Lee urged those who had been vaccinated to continue adhering to the standard operating procedures during the National Recovery Plan to curb virus transmission.
This, he added, would prepare the people as the country entered the Covid-19 endemic phase.
It was reported that two siblings and another teenager had lodged a report at the Taman Melawati police station here on Aug 30 to exercise their rights to refuse the vaccine.
One of them, a 17 year old, said a consent form he received from his teacher two weeks ago stated that no parties would be held responsible should there be any side effect from the vaccine.
He lodged the report as he had fears about possible side effects.
Parent Action Group for Education president Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, meanwhile, called on the Health Ministry to update the public with data on the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.
This, she said, would encourage people to make an informed decision whether to get vaccinated.
"As long as vaccination is not mandatory, respect should be accorded to those who choose not to be inoculated.
"Latest research, data and statistics, which are available, should be made clear and transparent to them to enable them to make an informed decision.
"The government should continue to give privileges to those who are vaccinated."