Kedah aims to vaccinate 80% of its children in six months

ALOR STAR – The Kedah Health Department has targeted to give 80% of the state’s children aged 5 to 12 their Covid-19 vaccine shots in six months through the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids)

Its director Dr Othman Warijo said based on statistics, there are 215,508 children aged 5 to 12 in the state.

“The PICKids programme in Kedah began yesterday with 10 children receiving the vaccine. Today, we are expecting 40 children.

“Four special vaccination centres have been opened at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Star, Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sg Petani, Kulim Hospital, and Sultanah Maliha Hospital in Langkawi for the purpose,” he said after launching the PICKids programme at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital here today.

He said, based on data from the Kedah Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre, a total of 22,067 children in the state have been infected with Covid-19 with three deaths recorded so far.

“In 2022 alone, of the 13,217 cases recorded in the state, 1,623 involved children aged 5 to 12 years. This is very alarming. Children must be vaccinated to protect them from being infected with the virus.

“As of last Saturday, a total of 33,930 children have registered for the vaccine through MySejahtera, but the number is still low as this represents only 15% of the age group or 215,508 children in the state,” he said.

Dr Othman said that so far, the department has not received any news of side effects in children who had received the vaccine, and hoped this would convince parents to get their children vaccinated.

Meanwhile, public sector worker Shuhaina Shuib, 36, when met at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital lobby with her husband and three children Damia Nur Sara Mohd Dzarif, 11; Dahlia Nur Qisya, 9; and Muhammad Daiyan Ziyad, 6, said they were there to get the children vaccinated.

“They are excited to get their vaccine shots. To me, as long as the vaccine is beneficial and is able to protect their health, I fully support the government and the Health Ministry’s efforts.

“Moreover, schoolchildren are being infected almost every week, so naturally parents would be worried. But if they are vaccinated they can be protected,” she said. – Bernama, February 7, 2022