KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry will consider starting vaccination centres (PPV) at schools instead of shopping malls to encourage higher take-up of Covid-19 booster shots for children aged between 5 and 11.
Deputy minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni told the Dewan Rakyat that only about 2.5% of the country’s population had received their second booster shot, or fourth dose in the case of a two-shot primary dose for some vaccines.
The figure is even lower among children aged 5 to 11, whereby only 7,163 or 0.2% have the second booster. For this age group, 43.5% have received their primary shots.
This, he said, was a factor that contributed to vaccine wastage in the nation.
Lukanisman said the ministry will consider Cha Kee Chin’s (Rasah-PH) suggestion to organise PPVs at schools. Cha made the suggestion today during Question Time in the lower House.
“We will have to start a collaboration with the Education Ministry to have PPVs at school,” Lukanisman said.
“Maybe, there were mistakes by the Health Ministry to have PPVs in shopping malls, as not everyone would visit that location.
“We will evaluate the recommendations and intensify vaccination implementations, as well as its promotion process,” he added.
To encourage more to get booster shots, Lukanisman reiterated that people are free to choose the time, location, and vaccine brand preferred.
However, he remarked that implementing Covid-19 vaccination on a voluntary basis might have led to vaccine wastage.
Among the adult population, 98% have had their primary doses, while 69.1% received their first booster, and 3.5% received their second booster. – The Vibes, June 15, 2023
