KUALA LUMPUR: Beginning Sept 15, Covid-19 vaccines will be given to individuals aged 12-17 years old based on age de-escalation and medical conditions under the Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme (NIP).
However, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the implementation of this plan depends on the availability of vaccine supply.
"Starting mid-September, the NIP will be expanded to include individuals aged between 12-15 years old with certain medical conditions and all individuals aged 16-17 years old with or without certain medical conditions.
"Only three categories of vaccine recipients with certain medical conditions must undergo a pre-vaccination assessment.
"They include individuals with a history of severe allergy to vaccines in the past, severe allergy to medicines or with other unknown allergies; immune-compromised individuals due to certain diseases or treatment; and individuals who undergo anti-coagulant treatment or those with bleeding tendencies.
"Based on the pre-vaccination assessment, medical officers will notify whether individuals can get their jabs at any time, postpone it to another date or if they cannot take the vaccines due to absolute contra-indications.
"The pre-vaccination assessment can be done in all health facilities, including public and private hospitals and clinics," he said, in a circular, today.
Dr Noor Hisham said individuals identified with health risks during the pre-vaccination assessment will get their jabs at a hospital or medical institute so they can receive treatment immediately, if necessary.
Besides individuals who undergo pre-vaccination assessments, Dr Noor Hisham said patients undergoing long-term treatment at hospitals and other individuals identified by doctors will also be inoculated at hospitals and medical institutes.
"The vaccine supply will be distributed to all states, and subsequently transported to the vaccine administration centres.
"The vaccines will be rolled out at special vaccination centres (SPPV) in hospitals and medical institutes, other PPVs including clinics and through outreach programmes in schools," he added.
Meanwhile, NIP Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin tweeted today that the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV) will announce the guidelines for vaccinating adolescents next week, as per Dr Noor Hisham's circular.