KUALA LUMPUR – A total of 41,393 children aged between five and 11 have received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine via the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids), as of yesterday.
Dr Saidatul Norbaya Buang, a public health expert from the Health Ministry’s Family Health Development Division, said Selangor recorded the highest number at 25,367.
This is followed by Kuala Lumpur (8,623), Sarawak (4,392) and Sabah (2,394).
She said the vaccine doses are offered for free to all children regardless of their citizenship status.
“As of now, the vaccine of choice is Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty paediatric doses where two doses are given eight weeks apart,” she said in an online media engagement session on PICKids and the adverse effects of immunisation report organised by the ministry today.
She added that it is expected that 3.6 million children will receive the first dose of the vaccine by the end of March.
Earlier, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the registration for PICKids had increased to 663,641 as of yesterday.
In a tweet this morning, he said the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force for Children will announce the implementation of the programme at the school level.
Pendaftaran untuk #PICKids meningkat kepada 663,641. CITF-C akan umumkan juga pelaksanaan #PICKids di peringkat sekolah. Pendaftaran di buat oleh sekolah & suntikan juga di sekolah dengan rakan2. pic.twitter.com/ADeZn41QC5
— Khairy Jamaluddin ??? (@Khairykj) February 8, 2022
He added that the registration is to be made by the school and the inoculation will also be carried out at school allowing children to be vaccinated with their friends.
Meanwhile, last week, Khairy announced that there have been 26 Covid-19 deaths involving children between the ages of five and 11 in the past six months.
According to the ministry’s data, over the past six months, 147,282 unvaccinated children aged between five and 11 years old contracted Covid-19.
He said the ministry decided to extend the vaccination drive to this group due to the worrying numbers. – The Vibes, February 8, 2022
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