Kota Kinabalu: Sabah’s Covid-19 spokesperson Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun urged the public to get themselves boosted and their children vaccinated for maximum protection, as transmission risks are higher when the State welcomes international visitors starting April 1.
“Tourists are bound to visit Sabah for various reasons. We won’t be mingling just with ourselves, but also with many outsiders whose (travel) histories we do not know of.
“Although the condition for visitors (to enter Sabah) is to be fully vaccinated and boosted, generally the transmission risk will be much more widespread.
“This is a solid reason as to why all of us should get vaccinated and get the booster dose as soon as possible,” he told a press conference after officiating an immunisation programme for children and booster shots, at the Wisma Innoprise lobby, here, Thursday.
Masidi added that with full school sessions starting again soon, it is also important for parents to get their children vaccinated for maximum protection against the virus.
Data by the official Covidnow website showed that only 17.5 per cent of children aged five to 11 in Sabah have received at least their first dose of the vaccine so far.
Masidi said the low rate is a cause of concern as the State’s target is to get 50 per cent of children vaccinated before school reopens on March 21.
“This is worrying actually, as schools are reopening soon yet the rate of vaccination among kids is still low. Do not forget that it takes about two weeks for the vaccine to take effect.
“They are going into the school system and will be exposed to many things. It is incumbent upon every parent to ensure they are protected to the maximum,” he added.
Asked on reasons that could contribute to the low vaccination rate among children, Masidi said it is likely due to the wait-and-see attitude among many parents.
“I don’t think it is an issue of accessibility (to the vaccine). They (parents) are not convinced.
“The best way to describe it is ‘tunggu dulu lah’ (wait and see),” he said.
While Masidi acknowledged the fears that some parents may have, he assured that the benefits outweigh the possibility of problems arising from the vaccination.
“We have been giving the vaccine to kids for the past one month now, and so far I have not heard of any grave problems (as a result of it).
“We need to rationalise the situation, I know people can get emotional, but at the end of the day it’s about giving maximum protection for our kids,” he explained.
Masidi also reasoned that the percentage of unvaccinated children being hospitalised due to Covid-19 is also increasing.
“Hence, I urge all parents to take this issue seriously,” he said.
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