Rokiah Mahmud & Izah Azahari
Screening for COVID-19 using the antigen rapid test (ART) kit at schools, educational institutions and training institutes under the Ministry of Education (MoE), Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) will be aligned with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) – the Public Service ART test – starting September 15.
According to Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, ART testing is no longer required, unless the individual shows symptoms of infection or has been ordered by the school after sitting for an examination or attending an event.
The minister shared that parents or guardians wishing to continue screening for the virus using the ART kit can do so.
He added that as students will be sitting for public examination starting next month, candidates with red or purple BruHealth code will be allowed to sit for their physical examinations following the SOPs provided.
However, they are advised to inform the schools immediately.
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar also said students with red or purple BruHealth code sitting for the physical examinations will be segregated from the rest.
Childcare centres, meanwhile, will be fully operational following the SOPs that have been outlined.
The provision of food assistance and care packages in the form of medicines and ART kits for positive cases, will be discontinued, except for those on government assistance and other eligible recipients.
