More than 100 teachers in Terengganu reject vaccination - Menteri Besar

KUALA TERENGGANU, Sept 13  -- About 100 teachers in Terengganu refused to get COVID-19 vaccine shots, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar today.

He said the total only represented a small percentage of the overall total teachers serving in the state.

“I do not know their excuses for not receiving vaccine jabs.

"I only told them to reconsider their decision for the good of all parties including their families and pupils,” he told reporters after the opening ceremony of the Fourth Term of the 14th State Legislative Assembly at Wisma Darul Iman here.

Ahmad Samsuri said for the time being, the only approach is to persuade them to accept the vaccination as there are no regulations or laws to provide any action on them.

Asked whether the teachers who declined vaccination need to undergo random COVID-19 screening tests when the school session starts, Ahmad Samsuri said, “ It maybe one way. If they are willing to take COVID-19 test every two weeks, it is up to them.

State Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment Committee chairman Dr Alias Razak when met said occupancy of intensive care unit (ICU) beds now is still high at more than 75 per cent which is a factor why Terengganu has not moved to Phase Three of the National Recovery Plan (PPN).

“We need ICU rate to be at 50 per cent to move to Phase Three but we are more than 75 per cent now. This is because COVID-19 patients admission into ICU is 21 days and this is a long time.

"Even though the daily ICU admissions is small, but occupancy got increasingly higher over time as the wait for 21 days,” he said and expected ICU bed usage to drop in three weeks.

In another development, State Entrepreneurship, Human Resource, Micro Industry and Hawker Affairs Committee chairman, Mohd Nurkhuzaini Ab Rahman who was confirmed positive for COVID-19, is now in stable condition.

He said the Kota Putera assemblyman was admitted to Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital (HSNZ) last week after being confirmed positive for COVID-19 for having fever and Mohd Nurkhuzaini is expected to be discharged from the hospital soon.

-- BERNAMA