COVID-19: Melaka targets 50 per cent of children to be vaccinated by end of the month

JASIN: The Melaka Health Department is targeting 50 per cent or 49,300 of the 98,600 children, aged between five and 11 years, in the state to be vaccinated under the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) by end of the month.

State Health and Anti-Drug Committee chairman Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said since registration for PICKids was opened through the MySejahtera application, more than 15,000 parents had given their consent to have their children to be vaccinated.

As of yesterday, 1,360 children have been vaccinated, he told reporters after visiting the vaccination centre (PPV) at Dewan Dato 'Haji Ahmad Ithnin here today.

He said it was important for the children to be given the vaccine to protect them against the COVID-19 virus.

According to him, 431 cases of COVID-19 infection involving those under the age of 12 have been recorded in the state since last Feb 3.

This shows that the rate of COVID-19 infection among children in Melaka is high, he said, adding that the number is expected to increase with the existence of the education cluster, which is the second largest contributor after the community and workplace clusters.

He said of the total 11,755 children who were infected with the virus since the pandemic, 7,738 of them were children aged between three and 12 years, one to three years old (3,297 cases) and the rest involved those under one year old.

"In Melaka alone, four deaths due to COVID-19 have beem recorded involving children under 12 years-old," he added.

However, he said, the rate of admission to the hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) COVID-19 was still low.

"This is because most of those infected are categorised at level one and two, thus proving the effectiveness of the vaccine in protecting the community, especially children from being infected with this disease," he added.

Meanwhile, Muhamad Akmal said he would mobilised the mobile vaccination unit to schools to increase the rate of vaccination among school students.

"We will work with the State Education Department and suggest that the mobile unit to be sent to schools when schools reopen," he said, adding that the move would make it easier for students in primary schools, especiallythose with working parents, to get vaccinated.

However, he said, it would only be carried out with the consent of the parents.

--BERNAMA