MELAKA: Some 30.1 per cent out of 2.53 million students aged 12 to 17 nationwide have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine as of yesterday, Deputy Education Minister I Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said.
He said another 4.4 per cent had been fully vaccinated in the programme that was implemented in 687 public vaccination centres (PPV), schools, higher learning institutions, government clinics and police stations.
“Some 63.3 per cent out of 834,857 students aged 16 to 17 and 10.9 per cent out of 1.64 million students aged 12 to 15 have received their first dose.
“Overall, the vaccination programme involving school students throughout the country is running smoothly and has received good response from parents.”
He said this to reporters after visiting the Encore Melaka PPV in conjunction with the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) for Adolescents in Kota Syahbandar here today.
Also present were Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Senator Datuk Lim Ban Hong and Melaka Education Department director Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad.
In Melaka, Mah said 50.1 per cent out of 26,683 students aged 16 to 17 and 11.5 per cent out of 51,284 students aged 12 to 15 had received their first dose of the vaccine at nine public PPVs involving 76 secondary schools.
He said the ministry through the State Education Department was making various efforts to encourage more parents to give permission to their children to get the Covid-19 vaccine jabs.
“We are still in the early stage of the PICK for Adolescents and we are monitoring the implementation of the programme to see what we can do to encourage more students to get vaccinated,” he said. -Bernama
