GEORGE TOWN, Sept 23 — Parents finally breathed a sigh of relief as their children began receiving vaccine injections through the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programe (PICK) for Adolescents in preparation for face-to-face learning sessions expected to begin next month.
A survey by Bernama found that parents were willing to wait more than an hour to register their children via the walk-in method once registration opened at the vaccination centre (PPV) setup at the Spice Convention Centre in Bayan Baru, near here.
Mohd Anas Mohd Radzi, 41, who brought his son Mohd Afif Ikhwan, 17, to receive the jab welcomed the government’s initiative, as the children would feel safer to go to school.
“Yesterday, my son and I checked the MySejahtera application but we still hadn’t got an appointment for the vaccination, so I came directly to the Spice Convention Centre PPV today on a walk-in basis,” he said.
Mohd Afif Ikhwan said he felt safe after being inoculated and was excited and eager to go back to school, as it would be a breath of fresh air after undergoing Teaching and Learning at Home (PdPR) for a long time.
“Soon we will face the SPM examination, so we are encouraged to get the vaccine. Alhamdulillah, it does not hurt after the injection,” he said.
Pauline Teh, 50, who brought her son, Ashley Chin, 15, to get the vaccine on a walk-in basis today also wants her son to return to a safe environment in school.
“I really want my child to be vaccinated because, he is the only one in our house who has not received the vaccine. Even my 82-year-old mother has been vaccinated, there have been no side effects, and we feel safer,” she said while thanking the staff at the PPV for facilitating the process.
Meanwhile, Spice Convention Centre PPV manager Dr Norhasimah Ismail said 500 doses of vaccine would be provided daily to school students under the programme at the PPV beginning today.
In Penang, vaccination involving hostel students aged 16 to 17 began yesterday, while vaccination sessions involving students aged 16-17 without comorbidities began today at six PPVs, namely the Spice Convention Centre, Seberang Jaya Expo Site, Vangohh Eminent Hotel, Perda Convention Centre, Millennium Hall and Sungai Bakap Multipurpose Hall.
