SCHOOLS and kindergartens have maintained that their students wear masks on the premises despite the government’s decision to scrap the requirement indoors.

Teachers said prevention is better, as cases are still trending in the thousands daily.

Malaysian Association of Kindergartens president Sally Ng said they still encourage the wearing of masks due to the prevalence of the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).

“Covid-19 cases have not fully disappeared and we are still facing HFMD cases. So prevention is better than cure,” Ng told The Malaysian Insight.

With the recent school break, she said parents took children on trips and took part in various activities.

Given that they could have been infected, wearing masks still affords a certain level of protection, she said.

“Parents have not asked us whether their children need to wear masks, but they have continued sending them with masks on,” she said.

Kindergartens have continued sanitising and carrying out temperature checks as well, she said.

Penang SJKC Principal Teachers Association president Chew Eng Hock said it has recommended the 90 Chinese schools in the state to tell students to continue wearing masks.

“The number of daily Covid-19 cases is still in the four digits. If everyone takes their masks off, if someone catches it, they may spread it to others and cause a panic,” he said.

Chew hopes that all schools will take the relevant measures to stop the infection.

“We hope that the students will continue wearing masks indoors and outdoors, when they are not eating or doing outdoor activities,” he said.

Chew, who is the principal of SJK(C) Min Sin, said schools will post guards at the gates to ensure that all entering the premises have their masks on.

“For the sake of everyone’s health, we will continue this measure. We will also continue maintaining physical distance and curbing crowding,” he said.

National Union of Head Teachers of Malaysia acting president Chuah Soo Cheng said she, too, has encouraged the continued wearing of masks in school.

“We can’t see the virus, so we have to be diligent,” she said.

Wearing masks can also prevent the spread of the common cold, she said.

“If parents decide that they don’t want their children to wear masks, then we will respect their decision,” she said.

“So far, most parents still send their children with their masks on.”

The wearing of masks indoors was made optional on September 7.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, however, said masks must still be worn in hospitals, public transport and nursing homes.

He said owners of premises can still decide whether or not visitors need to wear masks.

Despite the mask mandate being scrapped, Khairy still encouraged the wearing of masks to mitigate the spread of the virus. – September 21, 2022.