Page 34 - NIH Bulletin Vol 19, January-June 2022, Entering the Endemic Phase: Nurturing Ideas in Healthcare

Bulletin National Institutes of Health, Malaysia Vol 19 • January - June 2022

PREVENTIVE BEHAVIOUR DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN IN MALAYSIA

INTRODUCTION they have yet to be vaccinated at the time of the study. This
As Malaysia entered into the Recovery Movement Control caused much worry and anxiety to parents and guardians
Order (RMCO) phase, schools were preparing to reopen in about allowing their children to go back to school. Therefore,
stages, beginning in June 2020. The Ministry of Education understanding the extent to which school children practice
(MOE) developed guidelines and standard operating preventive measures may provide the real situation and can
procedures (SOPs) for school management and operation provide evidence for future pandemic outbreak measures at
in the new norm to ensure health and safety of the school educational institutions in Malaysia.
community, especially the students.
KEY FINDINGS
OBJECTIVE • Most students scored a high percentage for the overall
The aim of this study is to assess knowledge and preventive general knowledge about COVID-19.
measures of school children on COVID-19 during the • A total of 94.8% of students checked temperatures daily,
reopening of schools until schools were ordered to close 85.1% maintained physical distance during learning
again due to Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO). sessions with teachers, 60% used water and soap every
time they washed their hands, and 88% always wore face
JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY masks in school.
Infection control and physical distancing are challenging • A declining rate of self-control in maintaining physical
because schools are large-scale student gatherings. The distance during the exchange of study time, recess time,
ability of COVID-19 to spread is rapid amongst students. This and after-school sessions.
caused escalating public concern, especially for parents as • Hand washing is the lowest behaviour practised in school
the number of infected cases among school students were compared to other behaviour domains in the study.
growing exponentially. They are not only exposed to the • Only 28.4% of 1291 students wore clean and washed fabric
risk of being infected but also put others at risk as they may face masks every time they went to school.
be asymptomatic carriers. The transmission of the disease
by these asymptomatic individuals is capable of spreading PROGRESS
more infections within the community and render efforts of Preliminary data has been presented to stakeholders (MOE)
contact tracing, futile. In addition, the students may also be in the past few meeting sessions.
prone to develop complications of COVID-19 if infected, since

Presentation of preliminary data to stakeholders (MOE) Presentation of preliminary data at MOH Management Executive
Committee Meeting

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