[UPDATED] MoH aims to fully vaccinate 80% of teens by end-December

KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry is aiming to fully vaccinate at least 80% of the nation’s teenagers by the end of December.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said the ministry also targets having 60% of the adolescents receive at least one dose by November.

He said as of yesterday, some 5,964 schools have registered with the ministry’s Vaksin-Anak-Ku portal, while the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) for teenagers has already begun in Sarawak, Labuan, Sabah, Kelantan, Johor and Kedah. 

Dr Noor Azmi also said 410,489 teenagers had received their vaccine doses as of yesterday, with Sabah receiving the highest at 140,890, Sarawak (85,291), Kedah (31,294), Kelantan (17,413), Johor (27.936), and Labuan (2,515).

He said apart from administering the jabs in school-based vaccination centres (PPVs), public and private clinics, some 156 public and integrated PPVs will begin vaccinating teenagers starting September 23.

He also said the PPVs will be closed in stages by October 15 at the latest.

“The implementation of PICK-Adolescents at the 156 public and integrated PPVs will be implemented on an appointment basis through MySejahtera, walk-in, and scheduled vaccinations,” he told a press conference.

“Teenagers in boarding schools under the Education Ministry and Mara, including special needs students, will be given appointments via MySejahtera at the nearest PPVs.”

Also present was Deputy Education Minister Datuk Mah Hang Soon.

Dr Noor Azmi said the scheduling for vaccinations was done according to schools which have been matched to each PPV, according to set dates and times.

The vaccination schedule has been agreed upon by the district health office and the district education office, which will be issued by the respective schools to teenagers and parents.

For adolescents who are not in school, he said they can “walk in” to the PPVs that run PICK-Adolescents without an appointment.

As for those who missed their appointments, Dr Noor Azmi said they will be given alternative dates through MySejahtera.

However, he advised parents not to bring their children to walk-in PPVs unless they were from priority groups, as appointments will be given to everyone soon.

“There is enough vaccine supply for all. So, there is no need to rush to any PPVs to avoid being turned away,” he said. – The Vibes, September 22, 2021