SHAH ALAM - The first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) will be extended to May 31.
Deputy Health Minister I Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said the CITF-C meeting had decided to extend the programme considering the closure of vaccination centres in conjunction with the recent Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration and public holidays.
He said despite the extension, the deadline for registration and appointment date through MySejahtera application remained on May 8.
"For parents who had registered and made appointments for their children’s vaccination before or on May 8 but choose a date after May 31, the appointments would be automatically cancelled.
"For parents who registered after May 8, there would be no appointment date given through MySejahtera. However, parents can walk in with their children to the government clinics to get the vaccines by May 31,” he said in a statement.
Vaccinations at the government clinics were based on a first come basis and parents would have to come again the next day if the allocated vaccines for the day had reached the quota.
Dr Noor Azmi said after the deadline, there would be no free vaccination offered for children aged five to 12 under PICKids at government clinics, but they could get vaccinated at private clinics, which would be offered at a fee.
However, exceptions would be given to the children who had to cancel their appointments before or on May 31 due to Covid-19.
"Taking into account the MIS-C complications that may happen after contracting Covid-19, parents are recommended to bring their children to get the vaccines through walk-in at government clinics within six weeks after recovering, or latest by August 30,” he said.
Dr Noor Azmi said parents with children turning five years old on or after May 31 could still register and make an appointment for the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine under the PICKids until January 15, next year.
The deadline for this category would end on January 31, 2023.