Covid-19: 70.1 pct of Sarawak’s total population fully vaccinated – JKNS

0

A nurse administers the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine on one of students from SMK Kapit No 2.

KUCHING (Oct 19): A total of 231,803 teenagers aged between 12 and 17 in the state have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine as of Oct 17, said the Sarawak State Health Department (JKNS).

In a statement today, it said the number accounted for 79.1 per cent of the adolescent population in the state (295,174).

“Another 121,030 (41.3 per cent) teenagers aged between 12 and 17 have been vaccinated with the second dose,” it said.

As such, 70.1 per cent of Sarawak’s total population has been vaccinated with two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to-date.

JKNS said that Sarawak has given Covid-19 vaccination to adolescents starting Sept 8 for all teenagers aged between 16 and 17 and 12 to 15 years with certain health problems.

For teenagers aged between 12 and 15 who are without comorbidities, the state has started vaccinating this group from Sept 24, it added.

“The state targets to fully vaccinate all teenagers between 12 and 17 years old before Oct 31,” it said.

Meanwhile, JKNS said that the state has started to administer booster shots from last Wednesday.

“The elderly will receive booster shots at private clinics and private hospitals, while the medical frontliners from public and private health facilities will receive theirs at their respective facilities.

“For those who are eligible, they can contact the relevant health facility in advance if they want to get an appointment. The list of private clinics and hospitals will be made known to the public from time to time through the mass media and social media to facilitate the appointment process,” it said.

As of October 17, a total of 11,156 booster shots have been given in Sarawak.