The government will announce a list of selected walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centres for children aged between 12 and 17 tomorrow.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the government has targeted 60 percent of the adolescent group to receive at least the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by November.
Subsequently, it is also aiming for the vaccination rate to reach 80 percent by January 2022 or before the opening of the new school year.
"There are a few ways for us to implement the vaccination of the adolescent group. Firstly, turning schools into temporary vaccination centres.
"Secondly, we will announce the (list of) vaccination centres to be allowed for walk-in for this group tomorrow," he said at a press conference in Putrajaya today.
Khairy informed that the children need to be accompanied to the vaccination centre by one parent or guardian who will need to sign a consent form in front of the doctor administrating the shot.
The minister made the announcement after visiting SMK Putrajaya Presint 8(1), which has been made a temporary vaccination centre for the age group.
A total of 323 students aged 16 and 17 have received their vaccine at the school today.
The National Covid-19 Adolescent Immunisation Programme involves 3.2 million adolescents aged 12 to 17, according to Khairy.
Rise in Covid-19 infection of children
In his speech earlier, the minister raised concern over a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases and deaths involving children below 18, which is 31 times more than last year.
As of Sept 16, the country recorded a total of 400,668 cases as compared with 12,620 in 2020, he noted.
"Of this figure, a total of 252,569 cases involved school children while 42,831 of them were pre-school children.
"A total of 62 deaths was also recorded as of Sept 16 as compared to six deaths in 2020," he added.
A Covid-19 immunisation task force for adolescents has been set up for the vaccination of the group. It is tasked with making vaccination policies for them.
So far, the government has only approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for the group.
Khairy assured the public that the government has enough vaccine supplies for adolescents as well as for the upcoming implementation of booster shots.
He reiterated that the government has yet to decide on whether it will go ahead with the Covid-19 vaccination exercise of children below 12.
The matter was still being reviewed by regulatory agencies, he added. - Mkini
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