Senior teacher dons Pikachu costume to calm kids afraid of Covid jabs

PUTRAJAYA - A cheerful environment was created for under 11s arriving for their Covid-19 jab at the Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Putrajaya Presint 11 (3) vaccine administration centre (PPV) today, including being greeted by Pikachu.

The school’s senior assistant for student affairs, Mohd Ridzuan Che Lah, who was dressed as the beloved Japanese Pokemon, said he wanted to make the children attending the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids), happy.

"As many of those coming today are preschoolers, I decided to don the Pikachu costume to help them overcome their fear of the injection.

"Alhamdulillah, the children were excited by Pikachu’s presence at the PPV ... and they got to take a picture with him after their injection,” he told Bernama, while adding that he will be wearing the costume till the end of the day.

The teacher from Kota Bharu, Kelantan admitted that it was hot under the heavy getup, but the important thing was that the children received protection against Covid-19.

Dr Nor Azlinawani Husin, 39, who brought her children Airin Ayatul Husna, 6, Aisya As Sofea, 8 and Azam Al Furqan Mohd Haziman, 9, for their jab today said she was relieved that they were now protected by the vaccine.

"I was actually waiting for PICKids to be implemented because children can catch the infection, too. It’s in God’s hands now,” said the Hospital Putrajaya doctor.

Her son, Azam, was happy to get the jab and said: "(Injections) only hurt a little and actually I didn’t feel anything.” PICKids, launched on Feb 3, aims to vaccinate 3.6 million children aged five to 11 in Malaysia against the coronavirus. - BERNAMA