GEORGE TOWN – Two brothers, G. Shivvaen,10, and G. Dharvinn, five, were clearly excited to get vaccinated under the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids), here, today.
The siblings, who were accompanied by their mother, Dr M. Malini, were among the first children to receive their jabs under the programme.
Shivvaen, a student of the Wesley Methodist School Penang (International), here, said he was happy to get vaccinated today and has been wanting to do so from the beginning as he wanted to protect himself from the infection.
“I have been impatient to get vaccinated as I want to go back to a normal life with my friends after this. I did not hurt (getting the injection) and the process was fast for both my brother and myself,” he said when met at the vaccination centre (PPV) at the Penang Hospital (HPP), here, today.
The brothers arrived at the PPV at 10.15 am and the vaccination process was completed at 11.10 am.
State Agrotechnology and Food Safety, Rural Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Norlela Ariffin was present at the PPV to observe the PICKids process.
PICKids is for children aged five to 11, who have been registered by their parents and guardians on a voluntary basis. It began on Feb 3 in the Klang Valley and kicked off in Penang today.
Dr Malini, 39, a paediatrician in HPP, said she did not force her sons to get vaccinated but rather her children were anxious to do so when they heard about the programme.
Meanwhile, Norlela said that 40,000 out of 160,000 children, aged five to 11, in Penang have registered for PICKids. She also hopes more parents will register their children for the vaccination.
She said 10 children received the jabs today and the authorities hope the PICKids process will run smoothly.
Apart from this, she also said that her team suggested that PPVs create a hotline so that parents could channel information or complaints related to the health status of their children after receiving the vaccine injection.
She added that the state government was also preparing in terms of facilities and health workers to deal with the current increase in COVID-19 cases in Penang, involving categories one and two patients
