SEREMBAN – Concerns over the spread of COVID-19 and the compliance with physical distancing among school children have made parents more accepting of allowing their children to take the vaccine through the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme for Children, (PICKids).
When met at PICKids organised by Kellogg Asia Products Sdn Bhd, today, most parents expressed relief to see their children getting vaccinated while urging other parents to drop the ‘wait and see’ attitude for the protection of their children’s health in the future.
Lily Diana Nazeri, 32, gave words of encouragement and coaxed her daughter Nur Khayla Salsabila Mohd Asrizal, 7, into getting vaccinated today.
“I told my daughter when she attends school, she will meet many friends who are vaccinated. I tell her this every day and eventually, she agreed.
“My worry is that children aged seven years old do not observe physical distancing which is why it is important for them to get vaccinated before they attend school,” she told reporters.
Sharing Lily Diana’s sentiment was housewife, Norhafiza Mustapa, 34, who is confident that her daughter Mariam Nefeesa Mohd Irfan, 5, will have ‘extra’ health protection in her kindergarten.
Since the dispensing of COVID-19 vaccine to children aged five to under 12 years began through PICKids in February, a total of 1,221,990 individuals or 34.4 per cent of the group have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine as of yesterday.
Norhafiza said at first Mariam Nefeesa did not want to get vaccinated out of fear, but when she found out that many of her friends had been vaccinated, her daughter seemed excited to take it.
Nurul Izzati Shamsul Bahar, 36, said she decided to have her daughter Anggun Dea Clemira Amar Hidayat, 5, vaccinated since Anggun Dea, who had ‘bronchitis’ would suffer severe effects if infected with COVID-19.
“At least now after being vaccinated we can hope she is protected from COVID-19 infection,” she said.
Kellogg Asia Products Sdn Bhd plant director Matan Raj Subramaniam said the programme was organised in support of the Health Ministry’s goal of getting children immunised to help reduce COVID-19 positive cases.
He also hopes that the programme in collaboration with the Health Care Centre and the Seremban District Health Office will be expanded to other locations in the future.
