ALOR SETAR: The Kedah government intends to use mosques as a platform to share information and create awareness among the community on the importance of taking the Covid-19 vaccine booster dose.
State Health and Local Government Committee chairman, Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman, said that the move was due to the low number of people taking the booster dose in the state, while the number of those brought in dead (BID) is worrying.
“From Jan 1 until March 12, a total of 65 deaths were reported to occur outside the hospital or BID. Of the figure, 86.2 per cent of the cases did not take their booster shots.
“Also in Kedah, the number of those who have received the booster shot was still low, especially among the Malays, and I am not sure why. Maybe among the reasons could be because of the inaccurate news that was being spread in the social media,” he said to reporters here today.
He also said that recently the state Health Department (JKN) held discussions with the state Islamic Religious Council (MAIK), and the Kedah Mufti Office, for advice and views regarding the use of mosques for the purpose.
Dr Mohd Hayati added that about 90 per cent of the BID cases in the state were patients who were unaware that they had been infected with Covid-19.
The BID cases also involved those who had been fully vaccinated but did not receive their booster doses, he said.
“Hence, it is better to take the booster dose, and if they experience symptoms like fever, flu or sore throat please take the Rapid Antigen Test Kits (RTK) screening test. Please take this seriously. If you have symptoms but refuse to go for a check-up it could eventually cause death,” he added.-Bernama