KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): A total of 5,887 students aged from 12 to 17 at schools in military camps nationwide will be vaccinated under the Back to School Vaccination Programme in support of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Adolescents which kicks off on Monday (Sept 20).

       Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein (pic) said 255 Form 4 and Form 5 students of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Desa Tun Hussein Onn received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Monday, while the remaining 675 students were expected to be vaccinated by Thursday (Sept 23).

       The vaccination for students at four other schools in military camps, namely the Mara Junior Science College and SMK Kem Terendak in Terendak Camp, Melaka; SMK Pangkalan TLDM in the Naval base in Lumut, Perak; and SMK Tanjung Pengelih in Johor, will be carried out in stages at the nearby vaccination centre.

       "The vaccination for primary school pupils, involving 330 from SK Kem Kementah and SK Desa Tun Hussein Onn here is also expected to be done on Thursday.

       "The vaccination for students of the Royal Military College at the Sungai Besi Camp here will be implemented as soon as the 504 students return to college on Sept 27,” the Defence Minister told a joint media conference with Senior Minister and Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin after checking out the Back To School Vaccination Programme at SMK Desa Tun Hussein Onn here Monday.

       The Back to School Vaccination programme is a joint effort of the Defence Ministry and Ministry of Education (MOE) meant specifically for students in military camps.

       The immunisation programme for adolescents which began simultaneously nationwide on Monday aimed at vaccinating 3.2 million teenagers aged 12 to 17 to ensure that the people were protected against Covid-19 and building stronger herd immunity.

       Meanwhile, when asked about the approach to be taken by the MOE should the parents refuse to allow their children to be vaccinated, Radzi said the MOE has yet to make any ruling on this and would monitor the progress of the programme first.

       "The immunisation programme for adolescents has just kicked off on Monday and we have not made any ruling, we’ll see the parents’ response to this programme first,” he said.- Bernama