Vaccination rate of adolescents aged 12 to 17 surpasses initial target

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 1,967,549 (62.5 per cent) adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the country have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine as at Oct 5 which exceeds the initial target set.

Deputy Health Minister, Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali in a tweet said the total first dose recipients included 343,231 (90.9 per cent) of teenagers aged 16 and 344,933 (92.8 per cent) of schooling adolescents aged 17.

"Based on the current progress, the National COVID-19 Immunisation programme (PICK) For Adolescents have surpassed the set initial target which is 60 per cent of teenagers aged 12 to 17 receiving the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine by November 2021," he said.

He also said the target was achieved earlier with the cooperation of all parties especially adolescents, parents and guardians.

"What is even more impressive is that the target was attained within 14 days PICK For Adolescent was launched on Sept 20. Reaching the target is a very good development in our joint effort to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection," he said.

Dr Noor Azmi also congratulated the ministry (MOH), Education Ministry (MOE), Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim), Mara Research Division, police, the Malaysian Armed Forces and all agencies involved to ensure the success of the effort.

-- BERNAMA