PUTRAJAYA: The National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) will be open for five days, from Monday (June 20) to Friday (June 24), to vaccinate children aged five to 11.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said the vaccination drive was in conjunction with the 2022 National Immunisation Week on June 16, themed 'Perlindungan Sepanjang Hayat untuk Semua' (Lifelong Protection for All).

"The opening of this vaccination is for parents who now wish to get the COVID-19 vaccine for children who missed it before and the concern of the Ministry of Health (MOH) on the safety of children from vaccine-preventable diseases," he said in a statement today.

Dr Noor Azmi said parents could get the vaccination for their children, without an appointment at health clinics under MOH, from tomorrow to Friday.

He said the distribution was based on the stock of vaccines at a facility on the day, and if the day's stock has run out, parents would have to return the next day.

Dr Noor Azmi said that parents who had just learned about the COVID-19 vaccination, or had just decided to allow their children to get vaccinated, were encouraged to take up the opportunity.

He said for children reaching the age of five, parents can still book vaccination appointments, according to the date and place of vaccination of choice, through the MySejahtera application.

-- BERNAMA