In a Twitter post today, the health minister said that in less than two months the national Covid-19 immunisation programme (PICK) for adolescents had successfully given at least one dose of the vaccine to 80% of the population aged 12-17.

“This is among the fastest Covid-19 adolescent vaccination rates in the world,” he said, adding that he was grateful to his deputy, Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali, who is chairman of the Covid-19 immunisation task force – adolescents (CITF-A), and deputy education minister Mah Hang Soon, who is responsible for handling the vaccination of adolescents.

Khairy also said CITF held its last meeting today with the country reaching a 95% adult vaccination rate.

“With a full vaccination rate of almost 95%, CITF held its last meeting today. Thank you to everyone at CITF who made PICK a success,” he said.

He said the vaccination programme would now be placed under CITF-A and the vaccine booster programme (CITF-B).

“CITF-A is chaired by Dr Noor Azmi, while the booster dose vaccination programme is (chaired) by me,” he said.

It was reported early this month that CITF, which is under the science, technology and innovation ministry, would be dissolved on Oct 31.

Its minister, Dr Adham Baba, who is also joint CITF chairman, said that from Nov 1, the national immunisation programme would be carried out by the health ministry.