PUTRAJAYA – To ease the process of vaccinating teenagers, the government is looking to administer jabs at schools, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
He said the Covid-19 immunisation drive for this group will be done concurrently with the reopening of schools for in-person classes in stages starting next month.
In a press conference here today, he said an announcement will be made soon by the Education Ministry (MoE).
“We had a meeting with MoE this afternoon, and discussed vaccination for teenagers. What we have agreed on is that the programme will be done together with schools’ reopening.
“I don’t think we will be able to immunise all children before next month. But, we will continue to vaccinate them while MoE announces the timetable for the resumption of classes.
“We are looking at a number of methods (on how to vaccinate children), but it will probably be done at schools. This is the easiest.”
He was asked for an update on the government’s plan to vaccinate students aged 12 to 17.
Yesterday, vaccination for this group began in Sarawak, with the Pfizer-BioNTech jab administered.
Khairy previously said teens in Labuan and the Klang Valley – both of which have among the highest vaccination rates among adults – will be next in line to get inoculated.
During today’s meeting with MoE, he said, representatives from the Health Ministry shared their views, based on science, on the matter of vaccinating children.
“We are also quite happy with what was tabled by MoE.”
He said his deputy Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali has been appointed coordinator to work with MoE in implementing the programme. – The Vibes, September 9, 2021
