GEORGE TOWN: Only 27.13 per cent or 1,534 students studying in religious, tahfiz and Islamic schools have received their COVID-19 vaccination while 4,120 have yet to get vaccinated as of yesterday.

State Health, Agriculture, Agro-based Industry and Rural Development Committee chairman Dr Norlela Ariffin said since the vaccination rates are low, she urged parents or guardians of the students to walk into any 10 vaccination centres in the state before they start the face-to-face school session soon.

"I urge parents or guardians to immediately bring their children to get the vaccination at the vaccination centres, which will cease operations early next month," she said when contacted by Bernama today.

She said, according to the Penang Islamic Religious Department (JHEAIPP), the students' vaccination is managed by their respective families.

Norlela also said that 85.9 per cent or 121,489 out of 141,500 teenagers in the state had received at least one dose of vaccine under the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) as of yesterday.

Meanwhile, she hoped that the Health Ministry would consider giving the booster dose to 40,000 frontliners and 482,000 senior citizens as well as individuals with comorbidities in Penang soon.

"This is for their additional protection so that there would not be a surge in COVID-19 cases following the lifting of the interstate travel ban," she added.

-- BERNAMA