CORONAVIRUS | The Health Ministry is still mulling whether to allow taska (kindergartens) to reopen during the conditional movement control order (MCO), said its director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
He said that the ministry has received applications from factories and industries to allow kindergartens to resume operations, but that the ministry is concerned about the risk of infection due to children being in close proximity.
“We have received applications from factories and industries for us to consider (allowing) the reopening of kindergartens because workers when they work, the children are sent to the kindergartens.
“The Health Ministry still looking at the applications. We are worried about the control of children. If we look at kindergartens even before Covid-19, outbreaks of the hand, foot and mouth disease still happened.
"Infections easily occur at kindergartens, workplaces and so on. So we have not given any decision but we are looking through (the applications) in the best possible way.
“If we can limit the taking care of children on a one-on-one basis or at a special place, then we can consider.
“But if we gather all the children at one place, then that becomes a gathering and causes concern to the Health Ministry. The spread of infection rises if we use old methods.
“The Health Ministry is considering new methods and innovations, then we can give a final decision. At the moment not yet though there are many applications requesting to reopen the kindergartens.
“Before we can allow them to reopen, we must ensure that the safety of the children is guaranteed,” Noor Hisham said.
Noor Hisham was speaking during a press conference at the Health Ministry in Putrajaya this afternoon.
He was responding to a question from the media over whether private kindergartens and international schools are allowed to reopen next week as they have purportedly received the green light to resume operations next week.
After the press conference, a Health Ministry official said the Health Director-General was referring to kindergartens rather than nurseries or daycare centres.
Concerns have been raised over the safety of children at daycare centres and kindergartens if such places are allowed to resume operations during the conditional MCO. - Mkini
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