KJ on vaccination for kids: No longer time to wait and see [NSTTV]

KUALA LUMPUR: Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin is disappointed over the low take-up rate of the Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids).

He said only 30 per cent of children aged between 5 and 11 have received their first vaccine dose since the programme kicked off on Feb 3.

"I'm sad that the take-up rate is only at 30 per cent despite the increasing number of Covid-19 cases and admissions to hospitals, including at paediatric intensive care units.

"Parents have yet to decide whether to get their children vaccinated under PICKids.

"The wait and see period is over, as we have started with PICKids for a month," he told a press conference today.

He said as of March 3, a total 952,411 children (26.8 per cent) have received their first dose.

"A total 1.63 million PICKids appointments were sent out since Feb 3, but only a million have been vaccinated, meaning another 600,000 didn't come for their appointments," he said.

Meanwhile, Khairy said Covid-19 infections of the Omicron variant among children were worrying.

"The number of children aged 0 to 11 infected with Covid-19 showed an increase from 7,730 in 2020 to 379,245 last year.

"(And) from January to mid-February this year, children aged below 12 who were infected with Covid-19 numbered 50,826, while from mid-February to March it was 72,193 cases, bringing the total to 123,019."

He said of the total, 38,639 cases were in Category 1; 83,975 (Category 2); 291 cases (Category 3), 88 cases (Category 4), and 26 cases in Category 5."

Khairy said children were at high risk of getting infected by the Omicron variant, compared to the previous variants.

"This group (aged 11 and below) is vulnerable and did not receive proper protection compared to adults who had been vaccinated.

"The risk of Omicron variant infections increases if the children have comorbidities or belong to a high-risk group for having chronic lung disease, heart disease, weakened immune system, diabetes, undergoing treatment using steroids, cancer, asthma and obesity.

"The Omicron infection also showed other symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration and convulsion, despite being in lower categories of infection."

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