GEORGE TOWN: Despite rising Covid-19 cases of late, Malaysian parents are now much more ready to send their children to school.
Insurance executive Farah Hazwani Othman, who has three children aged seven, eight and 10, said the increase in Covid-19 infections had not fazed her.
“Since they have all been fully vaccinated, I do not stop them from going to school, unless they themselves are unwell.
“I would prefer they go to school and have face-to-face lessons,” said Farah, 37.
“As long as they know how to be careful and wash their hands or keep their masks on, I am not too worried,” she added.
Since online lessons are no longer being offered, she said her children would be behind in their lessons if they skip school.
Jery Yeoh, who is the founder and executive director of WhyteHouse Education Group, said the situation was different now that most people are vaccinated.
He said the attendance at his three kindergartens and daycare centres had been affected lately but this was due to the absentees having to be quarantined and not because the parents were reluctant to send their children for classes amid the rising cases.
“Children who have taken ill or have been exposed to someone with Covid-19 usually are the ones who don’t turn up.
“Their parents would inform us that their children are being quarantined at home,” he said, citing the latest case in which one child was absent yesterday because his sister had Covid-19.
Yeoh acknowledged that “one or two parents” were still afraid and would take extra precautionary measures, but they were no longer panicky like before.
He also voiced his appreciation to parents who are honest about their children being exposed to those with Covid-19.
“They take the initiative to quarantine their children and only send them to classes when they are cleared of the infection.”
He said the children’s temperature would be checked every day when they come for class.
Consultant paediatrician Dr Tan Eng Guan said vaccinated children recovered better and could get back to their routine without complications.
“A lot of children have gone back to school and had Covid-19. They then quarantine, recover and go back to school again,” he said.
