Letters

Not the time to travel with the unvaccinated

LETTERS:The first local holiday destination that has been opened for local tourists is the beautiful island of Langkawi.

Since Malaysia Day on Sept 16, there has been an influx of tourists from all over the peninsular to Langkawi.

People are going to the island in droves and many hotels especially around Pantai Cenang are fully booked.

Hotels around Kuah, the main town of Langkawi are also experiencing massive bookings and reservations. The travel bubble to Langkawi is to revive the tourism industry.

More local tourism bubbles are expected to follow suit. Pulau Pangkor off Lumut is expected to open next later in the year.

Other tourist destinations in Pahang such as Cameron Highlands, Fraser's Hill and Genting are expected to open soon for local tourists. People who have completed their vaccination have been given the onus and the clearance to travel.

It is a wise move to open the tourism sector to vaccinated people. The move is good for the economy and also for the people who have been in doors for quite a number of months.

Recently, I saw pictures in the press of people holidaying in Langkawi and I was taken aback to see young children and even babies in the midst of the crowds in Langkawi.

Children and babies have not been vaccinated yet so how is it that they have been allowed to travel? I believe children and babies are vulnerable to the virus without the vaccination.

Many parents are surely taking risks by taking them along for a holiday as the Covid-19 virus is still virulent and active. Though infections are showing fluctuations, infection is still prevalent in the country.

Even some vaccinated adults continue to take precautions and not going out to prevent risk of infection.

Meanwhile, schools are set to open in stages from the first week of October, and many parents have been voicing their displeasure of children going to school while infections are still high.

Therefore, it comes as a surprise how some parents are throwing caution to the wind and taking their children on holiday to Langkawi without being vaccinated.

Children are much safer in school than in public places. Small babies and children should have been discouraged from travelling.


SAMUEL YESUIAH
Seremban, Negri Sembilan

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