Covid-19: Govt targeting to fully vaccinate 80% of teens aged 12-17 before schools open next year

PETALING JAYA: The government aims to fully vaccinate 80% of teenagers aged between 12 and 17 before next year’s school sessions open.

The Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force-Adolescent (CITF-A) said they estimated 60% of these teenagers would get at least one dose of the vaccine by November this year.

“We will make sure this target is achieved. The cooperation from all agencies is required,” it said in a statement on Wednesday (Sept 15).

The task force added that the Health Ministry had set up the Vaksin-Anak-Ku portal, where all schools and educational institutes had been asked to register themselves on the portal.

They also urged all parents and guardians to register their children as dependents on the MySejahtera application, so that they are able to receive their digital vaccination certificate.

The teenagers will receive the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine, which requires two doses of inoculations.

CITF-A said they would conduct outreach programmes in schools or institutions with health workers, private medical practitioners or health-related NGOs to administer the vaccines.

They added that teenagers sitting for major exams and are attending boarding schools, would either be inoculated at a nearby school or private clinics close to their residence.

“Teenagers with co-morbidities would get their jabs at hospitals or the health clinics that are treating them.

“As for teenagers who are not able to attend their appointments with their parents or guardian, they would be given an appointment at a private clinic via the Mysejahtera application,” it added.

The CITF-A has been tasked to create the policies and coordinate the implementation of the teenager’s vaccinations.

It is made up of several agencies such as the Health Ministry; Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry; Education Ministry; ProtechHealth; Jakim; the Social Welfare Department; Armed Forces; Prisons Department; and the Immigration Department.