Teens under 18 to be vaccinated next week, starting with Sarawak, says KJ

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will begin vaccinating teenagers under 18 next week, starting with Sarawak, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin (pic).

"We will start with teens next week in Sarawak, as the state has reached its benchmark of 80% vaccinated adults,” said Khairy, in a media interview on his ministry’s plans for the next 100 days.

The new Health Minister said the ministry will set a target for adolescents’ vaccination according to the supply of vaccines it gets.

"I am hoping that as many teens as possible will get vaccinated in the next 100 days.

“We want that at the start of the school term next year, all teens have completed their vaccination,” said Khairy.

When asked if schools should hold off its plans to reopen until students are vaccinated, Khairy said the matter will be discussed with the Education Ministry.

Currently, the plan is for schools to reopen in stages, starting October.

This would start with schools that are in states under Phase 2 or above of the National Recovery Plan (NRP).

“We will have a discussion and conduct a risk assessment on this,” said Khairy.

So far, the government has only approved the usage of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17.

The Health Ministry said it will be carrying out the immunisation programme for adolescents at special vaccination centres (PPVs), health clinics and outreach programmes at schools.