GEORGE TOWN: Penang has again urged parents to send their children, aged between five and 11 for Covid-19 vaccination.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said as of yesterday, the state health department data showed only 52.9 per cent of children had received at least the first dose of vaccination under the Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids).
"To ensure our children receive the necessary protection against Covid-19, the state health department and state education department have worked together to increase PICKids performance in the state.
"Vaccinations have been administered in halls managed by the private sector, private hospitals and clinics; health clinics as well as teams which visit schools.
"At the same time, several information sessions, whether physical or online, have also been implemented by the state health department and district health offices involving numerous agencies," he said today.
Among the agencies include the Parent-Teacher Association, the Community Development Department (Kemas), private schools, state Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAIPP), religious schools and non-governmental organisations (NGO) dealing with non-citizenship.
Meanwhile, Chow said the state health department had also made to the consent form to convince parents that the vaccination was safe.
He said it was also informed that for those experiencing side effects, the Health Ministry would provide the necessary treatment.
On June 19, it was reported that parents who wished to get their children immunised against Covid-19 could do so during a five-day vaccination drive from June 20 to 24.
Deputy Health Minister I Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali had said interested parents could take their children aged between five and 11 to health clinics under the Health Ministry, without having to make an appointment.
Chow said at present, although vaccination centres (PPV) had been closed for walk-in, 13 public health clinics still offered vaccination for PICKids through appointments.
For private clinics, they can surf
https://vaksincovid.protecthealth.com.my/find for the list of clinics to set appointments.
Yesterday, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had said that a new wave of Covid-19 infections in the country was expected to occur in the next two to three months based on a rise in daily cases.
Khairy had said, however, that the country was prepared for the new wave and stressed that his statement was not to cause panic among Malaysians but served as a preventive measure to control the transition to the endemic phase.