A health worker administers a dose of Covid-19 vaccine on Lim Yi Cheng, 12, at the Covid-19 vaccination centre at IDCC Shah Alam on Feb 3, 2022. — Bernama photo
KUCHING (April 16): Parents and guardians in Sarawak have one more month to get free vaccination for their children aged five to 12 under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids), said Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He explained this was because after May 15, there would be no more free Covid-19 vaccination for this age group.
As such, the Public Health, Local Government and Housing Minister urged parents and guardians to bring their children for free immunisation while the service is still available, as he believed Sarawak can achieve a better figure in terms of vaccination for children based on the proven vaccination records for adults.
“At present in Sarawak, a total of 286,000 children from this age group have received their first dose while 46,000 (received) their second (dose).
“We need 8,000 more to come forward to reach 80 per cent, and 66,000 more to reach 100 per cent,” he said in a Facebook post on Friday night, where he shared key points from his interview by a local radio station.
It was reported on Wednesday that after the May 15 deadline, the Cominarty Covid-19 vaccine for children will no longer be offered at any public and private health facilities but can be obtained for a fee at private facilities.
Deputy Health Minister I Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali was quoted as saying the deadline was set by the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force for Children (CITF-C) due to the low take-up rate, which could lead to high vaccine wastage.
Dr Noor Azmi, who is also CITF-C chairman, had also said the deadline however would not involve vaccination for children born in 2017 who have not reached the age of five on May 15, adding that vaccination details for this group will be announced soon.
On another matter, Dr Sim said there are 306,000 individuals who are 60-years-old and with serious comorbidities in Sarawak who are eligible for the the second booster dose recommended by the Ministry of Health (MOH).
He also revealed there about 3,000 Sarawakians who fall under the category of immuno-compromised children aged 12 to 18, that are advised to get their second booster shots.
He was commenting on announcement by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on Thursday that those above 60 years old with high comorbidities can choose to get a second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine booster.
Khairy however stressed that the fourth round of vaccination is optional and not compulsory to this group of people.