Covid-19: Sarawak to give booster shots to immunocompromised adolescents

PETALING JAYA: Immunocompromised adolescents aged between 12 and 17 in Sarawak will be given a Covid-19 booster dose, says Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian.

Read also: Covid-19: Second booster allowed for those aged 60 and above with comorbidities

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The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee advisor said the booster dose would be for adolescents, who were frail or suffered from illnesses, according to a report from Borneo Post.

"These individuals will be receiving a notification from the respective hospitals and they will be administered the booster dose at the hospital," he was quoted as saying by the daily.

Dr Sim said this during the weekly "Shall WEE Talk" Facebook live session hosted by Kuching South Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng on Saturday (April 16).

As for the Health Ministry’s recent announcement that those 60 and above with comorbidities would be offered a second booster between four to six months after their first booster, Dr Sim said Sarawak has about 306,000 people who fell under this high-risk category.

"This is a huge number. I hope they will take the initiative to come forward to receive the fourth vaccine dose rather than waiting for the authorities to send them the notification," he said.

Dr Sim added that the Covid-19 Omicron variant had been described as mild but it still had a high transmissible rate and may lead to higher fatality rate.

Due to this, he hoped that the community would take vaccination seriously.