GEORGE TOWN, Oct 4 — A total of 10 Covid-19 vaccination centres in Penang will continue to operate until October 31 while children above 12-years-old can walk-in from Wednesday onwards (October 6), said state health exco Norlela Ariffin.

The Penang lawmaker said the health minister has agreed to the state’s request, submitted on September 27, to extend the operations of the 10 PPVs in the state.

She said the Penang Covid-19 Immunisation Taskforce (CITF) has also decided in a meeting today to allow walk-ins at the 10 PPVs.

The walk-ins are for that above 12-years-old and 5,000 religious school students who have not registered or received their vaccination.

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“Those who had missed their second dose appointment, those who have not registered or have not received their appointment dates can also walk in,” she said.

The 10 PPVs that will remain open in Penang are Tapak Pesta, Dewan Balik Pulau and Spice Arena on the island.

In Seberang Perai, the PPVs open for walk ins are Dewan Millennium, Dewan Convention Perda, SP Arena Seberang Jaya, Hotel Vangohh, Dewan Jawi and Dewan Sungai Bakap.

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“I did not agree to the closure of the PPVs so I sent the letter to our health ministry to extend the PPVs till the end of October,” she said.

She said the PPVs should not be closed until all of the children above the age of have received their second dose of vaccines.

Norlela said the booster dose or the third dose will be given to 480,000 individuals in Penang once the additional vaccines arrive.

“The third dose will be given to senior citizens, frontliners and those with comorbidities, we will inform the date and place when the vaccine arrives,” she said.

As of October 3, a total 1.17 million people, or 85.5 per cent of the adult population, have received two doses of vaccines while 95.9 per cent have received at least one dose.

A total of 89,900 children aged between 12 and 17 or 63.5 per cent, in Penang have received their first dose of the vaccine while 1,534, or 1.1 per cent, have received the two full doses.