Strumica, 27 August 2021 (MIA) – Minister of Labor and Social Policy, Jagoda Shahpaska, said on Friday that kindergartens are ready to continue following Covid-19 protection protocols. They are being regularly disinfected and more disinfectants are being purchased. The Minister also appealed for more kindergarten workers to get jabbed, given that their vaccination rate currently stands at 65%. She pointed out that kindergartens have been ready to start working in these unprecedented pandemic conditions since last year. “The first protocols for kindergartens were adopted last May and childcare is one of the most successful pandemic management stories. We enabled kindergartens to be safe for children by diligently following protocols, the virus was not transmitted from child to child and all positive employees or children bringing in the virus from home were all dealt with in a timely manner,” Shahpaska said after overseeing the construction of two new kindergartens in Strumica. She appealed for all kindergarten workers to get vaccinated and for the vaccine rate to increase in order for these facilities to be even safer. “Over 65% of kindergarten staff, which includes carers, teachers, assistant technical staff and kitchen employees, have been vaccinated according to this week’s data. However, in order to highlight the importance of getting vaccinated, we met with the president and two doctors from the Infectious Disease Commission last Friday, and 300 kindergarten employees directly addressed their issues concerning vaccine safety with the doctors from the Commission,” Shahpaska said. She expressed confidence that an even bigger number of kindergarten employees will get vaccinated after the meeting. Vaccination is important not just for kindergarten workers, but for everyone else as well. “As it turns out, adults have followed our recommendations the most. Why? Because 70% of over-70s have been vaccinated, meaning they have acquired immunity. The rest of us must approach vaccination as the only instrument that will help us get over the pandemic,” Shahpaska concluded. dk/mm