By Ling Hui
KUCHING, Sept 8: The Sarawak government has set the target of inoculating all adolescents aged 12 to 17 by the last week of October, between Oct 22 to 26.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said teenagers aged 16 and 17 will be vaccinated before the reopening of schools on Oct 3, while those aged between 12 and 15 are scheduled to complete their vaccinations latest by end of October.
With the launching of the Covid-19 vaccination programme for those aged below 18 in six divisions comprising Kuching, Sri Aman, Serian, Sarikei, Sibu, and Bintulu today, he said vaccination for all 16 to 17-year-olds and 12 to 15-year-olds with comorbidities has already started.
“These will be the two priority groups in the early stages.
“Covid-19 vaccination for healthy teenagers between ages 12 and 15 is scheduled to start by the end of September depending on the stock of vaccines then,” he said.
The Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine is currently used at the moment.
According to 2021 statistics by Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), a total of 289,200 teenagers aged between 12 and 17-years-old, make up 10.3 per cent of the total population in Sarawak.
There are also 96,400 teenagers aged 16 and 17, and 192,800 adolescents aged between 12 and 15, which represent 3.4 per cent and 6.9 per cent of the total Sarawak population respectively.
On the vaccination rollout, Abang Johari said vaccines will be administered through general Covid-19 vaccination centres (PPVs), schools, and health clinics.
“Health clinics will provide vaccination services for dormitory students who are currently in villages and also those who are not schooling.
“Appointments will be made according to school and each designated PPV will receive students from several schools every day,” he said during the launching of the teenager vaccination programme at Telaga Air Health Clinic today.
For those in rural areas, he added, Sarawak State Health Department (JKNS) through the Covid-19 Immunisation Outreach Programme and with the help of Divisional Health Departments, will dispatch vaccination teams to schools in the vicinity.
The operation will involve 9,334 students in 16 schools in Kapit, and 207 students in two schools in Miri.
To ensure the success of this vaccination programme, JKNS officers were given training yesterday (Sept 7) on how to manage the ‘Covid-19 Immunisation Management System of School Children’.
“So, I urge parents to bring their children who are eligible for vaccination to receive their jabs at assigned PPVs, schools or clinics.
“The vaccination process will be using the existing system. The only difference is that parents must accompany their children and vaccinations can only be done with the consent of parents,” said Abang Johari. — DayakDaily
