KUALA LUMPUR – Newly minted Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has signalled that Covid-19 vaccinations for adolescents could start as early as the end of September.
During his first press conference yesterday since assuming the portfolio earlier this week, Khairy said the plan to immunise teenagers will commence soon as the current priority is adults.
Once the vaccinations for adults are at a satisfactory level, the jabs for teenagers – those aged 12 to 17 – will commence.
A priority group among teenagers have been identified in a circular on this matter, which was recently issued by the Health Ministry (MoH).
In light of Khairy’s announcement, The Vibes has prepared quick FAQs on what is known so far about vaccinations for adolescents.
Q: What type of vaccine will teenagers receive?
A: The MoH is looking to inoculate teenagers aged 12 and above with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has been approved by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency.
Q: How many doses will each teenager receive?
A: According to the circular, the teenagers will be given two standard doses of the vaccine (30mcg), and the jabs will be given at least 21 days apart.
Q: Can teenagers take paracetamol before and after receiving the injections?
A: The ministry has said that prophylactic oral analgesics or antipyretics, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, should not be routinely used before or at the time of vaccination.
However, these medications may be considered for the management of pain or fever after vaccination.
Q: Do all teenagers need to be vaccinated?
A: Most likely. Barring doctors’ advice to skip the jab, teenagers with underlying medical conditions (comorbidities) will be prioritised to receive the vaccine.
Other healthy teenagers – who are also at risk of contracting Covid-19 – will be offered the vaccines according to the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme schedule, taking into account the country’s vaccine priorities.
Q: Will children below the age of 12 need to be vaccinated?
A: No. Khairy said the ministry has yet to decide whether this is necessary for those under 12 as there have been no paediatric vaccinations yet in Malaysia or any other country. The matter is also being studied by regulatory bodies around the world. However, he said Pfizer has informed the Malaysian government that a specific vaccine for children may be introduced in the future.
Q: What are the priority groups among adolescents?
A: According to the ministry, the priority group are those at higher risk of hospitalisation, intensive care unit admission, and death. They include, but are not limited to, those with chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, immunosuppression, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney diseases, neurological conditions and obesity.
For example, those infected with HIV, have developed cancer, or have undergone surgery that has supressed their immune system will be among those given priority.
Q: How will teenagers be assessed for allergies before inoculation?
A: The ministry says pre-vaccination assessment (PVA) will be performed by the administering doctor to determine the suitability of the vaccine for each child. The doctor will also determine the timing and appropriate facility (hospital, clinic, vaccination centre) for the administration of the jab.
The circular also noted that not all adolescents with comorbidities will require PVA. Generally, adolescents that require PVA include immunocompromised individuals (such as adolescents with diseases or on medications that suppress their immune system) and adolescents with an increased bleeding tendency (such as haemophilia or those on anticoagulants). – The Vibes, September 2, 2021
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