A child waves at a Brown (LINE friends) mascot while waiting to receive a Covid-19 vaccine dose in Parit on Feb 28, 2022. — Bernama photo
KUCHING (May 12): The deadline for the first dose under the Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) has been extended to May 31, said Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali.
The Deputy Health Minister said this was decided after taking into account the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration and public holidays that fell on the vaccination deadline as well as the closure of vaccination centres (PPV).
“This decision was also made to provide an opportunity for parents who still wish to obtain the Covid-19 vaccine for their children,” he said in a statement.
The initial deadline for the first dose under PICKids was May 15, which coincided with Wesak Day.
Dr Noor Azmi said while the deadline for PICKids has been extended, the final date to register and book vaccination appointments through MySejahtera on May 8 remained.
“As such, parents who registered and made an appointment before or on May 8 and selected a vaccination date before or on May 31 can proceed with the selected appointment, while those who had chosen a vaccination date after May 31 would have the appointment automatically cancelled in MySejahtera.
“For parents who registered for an appointment after May 8, the appointment link for MySejahtera will not be provided,” he said.
He added parents whose appointments have been canceled or with no appointment links can however bring their children to get the Covid-19 vaccination through walk-ins at the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) health clinics until May 31.
Dr Noor Azmi noted that vaccination at the government clinics depended on the supply of vaccines available on a first come, first served basis.
“If the supply of vaccines has run out for the day, parents will have to come back the next day,” he said.
After May 31, children aged five to 12 will no longer be offered free Covid-19 vaccination under PICKids, he said, and parents would have to pay for vaccination offered by the private sector.
“Exceptions are given to children aged 5 to 12 whose appointment before or on May 31 had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 infection.
“Taking into account the possible complications of multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), parents are advised to bring their children for vaccination through walk-ins at government health clinics within six weeks after their recovery or no later than Aug 30,” he said.
He also said that the latest directive does not apply to children who had just reached aged 5 on or after May 31.
“Parents of children under this category can register and book an appointment for the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine through MySejahtera until Jan 15, 2023.
“The deadline for the first dose of vaccine for this category is Jan 31, 2023,” he said.