KJ: 12 to 17-year-olds set to be eligible for Covid-19 vaccinations

 

Teenagers aged between 12 and 17 are set to be eligible for Covid-19 vaccinations in the foreseeable future.

Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who heads the government’s Special Committee for Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV), said youths will be inoculated based on these guidelines:

• Those aged 12 to 17 years old with underlying medical conditions will be prioritised ahead of those with no medical issues.
• The latter category will be based on “age de-escalation”. This means older children will be vaccinated ahead of younger children.

He tweeted this morning that more details will be announced next week.

Sept 15 onwards - DG

The circular mentioned in Khairy’s tweets refers to an Aug 12 document issued by Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

Confirmed by a ministry official and sighted by Malaysiakini, the circular said the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) will be extended to teenagers from Sept 15 onwards.

Depending on vaccine supply, all 16- and 17-year-olds will be eligible for vaccinations regardless of whether they have medical conditions.

Youths aged between 12 and 15 who have medical conditions will also be eligible.

Teenagers will be able to get vaccinated either at normal vaccine administration centres (PPVs), special PPVs or targeted outreach programmes.

The document added that such outreach programmes may be held in schools.

The circular also included a guideline on how to perform pre-vaccination assessments for teenagers.

Such assessments need to be performed on those with a history of severe side effects from multiple medications or previous vaccinations; immunocompromised individuals; those currently consuming anti-coagulants; and those with bleeding tendencies.

The government’s move to open Covid-19 vaccinations to teenagers comes as schools are scheduled to reopen in stages from Sept 1. - Mkini