Health ministry urges vaccination for kids ahead of transition towards endemic phase

The health ministry has recommended that children be vaccinated under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) before the country begins the transition to the endemic phase on April 1.

Deputy Health Minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said this is to ensure that children aged five to 12 are protected from severe Covid-19 infection and complications.

He said although there had been a 160% increase in the number of Covid-19 hospital admissions among children this year, there were still some parents who believed that during the transition phase, children would no longer need to be vaccinated.

“Parents are urged to register their children as dependents in the MySejahtera application to get a vaccination appointment or walk in to the designated vaccination centres (PPV).

“Choose to vaccinate your children because the benefits outweigh the risks of getting the side effects of the vaccine,” he said in a statement today.

Noor Azmi added that parents who bring their children to PPVs on work days would be given a time slip as a proof that they had brought their children to be vaccinated.

As of yesterday, a total of 1,315,497 children or 37.1% of those aged five to 11 had received a first dose of vaccine under PICKids.