Vaccination rate among children in Kelantan 'extremely' low, says state health director

KOTA BHARU - The Covid-19 vaccination rate among children between the age of five to 11 years old in Kelantan is still low with only 11,017, as of Monday.

Kelantan Health Department director, Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin said the number was recorded within 10 days of the PICKids implementation on Feb 13.

He said the vaccination rate among the group was low compared to the total number of 168,023 children who are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

“Out of the total, 114,685 among them are Standard One to Five who registered with the Kelantan Education Department (JPN).

“The ‘wait-and-see’ approach taken by the parents as well as being worried over the side-effects of the vaccine are among the factors of why they have not brought their children to get vaccinated.

“The only complaints that have been received are shoulder pain at the area where they were injected or redness compared to the effects if infected with Covid-19,” he said when contacted on Monday.

Commenting further, he said it is the role of the parents to protect the children from the Covid-19 virus and bring them to get vaccinated at over 400 vaccination centres (PPV) in health clinics and primary schools.

“JKNK advised the parents to allow their respective children to take the vaccine to avoid severe Covid-19 infections.

“The Pfizer vaccine injections can be taken via walk-in health clinic PPV and appointments made by their respective schools,” he said.