KOTA KINABALU, Sept 21 — The decision by the Sabah government to allow the COVID-19 vaccination programme to be conducted for individuals aged between 12 to 17 years from Sept 16 has brought light to the teenagers as they look forward to returning to school to resume their face-to-face learning.
Indeed they were excited and eager, although many were nervous as they reached the vaccination centre (PPV) to receive their first dose of the vaccine jab.
Sharing his experience is Farihin Najmi Awang Suhaizam, 17, who said he had been waiting for a long time and was prepared to be given the vaccine injection.
“I need the vaccine to protect myself from the risk of COVID-19 infection during his daily routine. I am happy now and look forward to going back to school, as well as be able to go anywhere to carry out my daily activities as usual,” he said when contacted by Bernama.
Farihin Najmi said he did have any symptoms after getting the vaccination, except for numbness in the arm.
The Form Five student of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Agama Kimanis, Papar, said he went to get his first dose of the vaccination at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) PPV on Sept 16 with his mother, Mariam Ag Damit, and younger brother Muhammad Awang Suhaizam, 15, who also got his first dose of the vaccine the same day.
“The process was smooth and I hope other teenagers will also go for the vaccination because the vaccine is for our own protection,” he said.
Sabah decided to provide COVID-19 vaccine to teenagers starting last Thursday in line with the Health Ministry’s stand to get as many teenagers in high-risk groups to be vaccinated ahead of the reopening of the school session on Oct 3.
To date, a total of 96,161 individuals aged between 12 to 17 years in Sabah have received the first dose of the vaccine, which is 22.6 percent of the 426,200 teenagers eligible for the vaccination programme.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Hakim Syahroni Suhaineh, 17, said apart from preparing himself to return to school for for the face to face learning, he took the COVID-19 vaccine to protect himself, as well as his family, against the virus.
“I’ll be sitting for my SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) examination. So, I have to be prepared (by taking the vaccine) to protect my health.
“Now that I have received the vaccine, I feel more confident and safe to go back to school,” said the student of SMK Agama Tun Datu Mustapha, Papar.
Muhammad Hakim said his two younger brothers, Ahmad Syahrunnizham Suhaineh, 15; and Zhahirul Anwar Syukri, 12; also received their COVID-19 vaccination on Sept 16 at the UMS PPV.
For Nur Azyan Alilah Johary, 14, from Kinabatangan, it was an experience she would never forget.
“I was afraid and trembling on the way to the PPV to get the vaccination, but felt happy and relief after given the jab,” she said, adding that by 6 am she had left home with her father, Johary Abdul Kadir, and older brother Muhammad Nurhafiz, 16, to go to the PPV at Kinabatangan Hospital for the vaccination.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency