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Rise in Covid-19 cases gets parents worried again

KUALA LUMPUR: Parents have expressed their concern for their children's health amid the reopening of schools after the Hari Raya celebrations, as the number of Covid-19 cases continues to increase and the discovery of the new Arcturus subvariant in the country.

Imran Had, 31, a father of a 5-year-old boy, told the New Straits Times that he is taking serious precautionary measures for the upcoming kindergarten reopening to avoid his child from being infected by the virus.

"There will always be children who are infected by the virus but their parents still let them go to school due to attendance records. So, I am going to constantly remind my son to at least wear a mask around his friends," Imran said.

Nur Adibahizzati Samsudin, a mother of a 4-year-old and a 5-year-old, agreed with Imran that other children may carry the virus without realising it as almost everyone went back to their respective states for the Hari Raya holidays. Therefore, she is sending her children to school with their own hand sanitisers as well.

Meanwhile, Norlaili Mohamed Nor, told the NST that there was a need to be cautious as the strength of the new virus strain was unknown.

Norlaili, who is also a teacher, said she regularly reminds her children aged 9 and 13, as well as her students, to be cautious in school, especially with the discovery of the new variant.

"The rising Covid-19 cases may affect our children's learning progress and this could lead to them resitting or missing their examinations," said Nur Nabilah Abdullah, 48.

However, Liyana Farzana Helmy, 33, a mother of a 5-year-old, has a different perspective from the other parents on the use of masks at schools.

"My son used to wear a mask because it was required by the kindergarten, but not anymore as they have relaxed the rules.

"I know that schools have reopened for a while, but I am not that worried as my child has been infected with Covid-19 before. There is no need for him to practice social distancing as the rule is no longer required at his kindergarten."

Parents also hoped that schools would take the necessary measures to ensure their children were protected from the rising number of Covid-19 cases.

Norlaili said schools needed to be strict about visitors who come and go out of the school, while Imran and Liyana hoped that the schools would prevent infected children from coming to school.

Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the ministry would propose the usage of face masks in all schools again to avoid the resurgence of Covid-19 due to the new variant known as XBB1.16, or Arcturus.

She said new guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOP) for pupils will be issued prior to the reopening of schools.

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