COVID-19 vaccination for teens in Labuan receives encouraging response

LABUAN: The implementation of phase two of COVID-19 vaccination for students aged 13 to 15 in the duty-free island runs smoothly and has received an encouraging response from the parents, said Labuan COVID-19 Immunisation Task-Force (CITF) chairman Rithuan Ismail.

"As early as 7 am, parents and guardians brought their children to two vaccination centres at Labuan Matriculation College hall and Darul Kifayah Complex for the vaccination that began on Sept 22.

"They do not want to miss the opportunity to get the vaccine as they want their children to be protected from COVID-19 before the kids return to schools in October," he told Bernama today.

He said a total of 4,108 Form One, Two and Three students have been listed to receive the vaccine for three days through the programme which is scheduled to end this evening.

"Beginning Sept 25, a total of 1,455 Year Six students, accompanied by their parents and guardians, have started receiving their doses at the existing two vaccination centres," he added.

Rithuan said as of yesterday, 4,971 or 48.74 per cent out of 10,200 students, aged 13 to 17 have received at least their first dose of the vaccine.

Meanwhile, Labuan Health Department director Dr Ismuni Bohari said vaccinating students would help reduce transmission of COVID-19 in schools and create a safe environment for students.

In the meantime, Labuan Education Department director Yusup Mohamad said teachers who chose not to receive the vaccine can still come to schools but they are not allowed to conduct face-to-face teaching.

"They will be given different assignments including focusing on the home-based teaching and learning (PdPR)," he added.

Of the total 1,332 primary and secondary school teachers in Labuan, only one per cent of them refused to be vaccinated.

-- BERNAMA