GEORGE TOWN: Only 27.13% or 1,534 students studying in religious, tahfiz and Islamic schools in Penang have received their Covid-19 vaccination while 4,120 have yet to get vaccinated.
State health, agriculture, agro-based industry and rural development committee chairman Dr Norlela Ariffin said since the vaccination rates were low, she urged parents or guardians of the students to walk into any 10 vaccination centres in Penang before they start the face-to-face school session.
“I urge parents or guardians to immediately bring their children to the vaccination centres, which will cease operations early next month,” she said yesterday.
She said that according to the Penang Islamic Religious Department, the students’ vaccination was managed by their families.
Dr Norlela also said that 85.9% or 121,489 out of 141,500 teenagers in the state had received at least one dose under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme as at Thursday.
She also urged the Health Ministry to consider giving the booster dose to 40,000 frontliners and 482,000 senior citizens, as well as individuals with comorbidities in the state soon.
“This is for their additional protection so that there will not be a surge in Covid-19 cases following the lifting of the interstate travel ban,” she added. — Bernama
