High-risk teachers may get vaccines first, says deputy minister

 

The supply of vaccines for the first phase is only about one million doses, of which more than 500,000 has been allocated for frontliners. (Bernama pic)

SUNGAI BESAR: The education ministry will give priority to teachers in the high-risk group for the Covid-19 vaccine if a request for them to be included in the first phase of the Covid-19 vaccination programme starting Wednesday, is approved.

Deputy education minister 1 Muslimin Yahaya said the education ministry was in discussions with the science, technology and innovation ministry (Mosti) for teachers to also be given the vaccine in the first phase of the national Covid-19 immunisation programme as schools will be opening next month.

“If the request is approved, the ministry will give priority to high-risk teachers to get the vaccine,” he told reporters after conducting a survey on the first day of the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination at Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan (SMJK) Yoke Kuan, Sekinchan here today .

Science, technology and innovation minister Khairy Jamaluddin was previously reported to have said that the government received many applications from certain groups, including educators who wanted to be among the first phase of recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine.

He said the application was seen as reasonable.

However, Khairy, who is also the coordinating minister for the national Covid-19 immunisation programme, said they were facing constraints as the supply of vaccines for the first phase was only about one million doses, of which a partial amount had been earmarked for some 500,000 medical and non-medical frontliners.

Therefore, Khairy requested that the education ministry list the high-risk teachers so that they can receive the vaccine before schools reopen in March. - FMT