‘Take whatever booster on offer’ says KJ as Sinovac shows waning immunity

COVID-19 | Sinovac vaccine recipients currently make up some 84 percent of the serious breakthrough Covid-19 cases treated at Hospital Sungai Buloh.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin disclosed this today, highlighting waning immunities and encouraging more to come forward for booster jabs.

“Why a shorter booster interval for Sinovac (three months) vs Pfizer or AstraZeneca (six months)?

“While Sinovac is effective, there is evidence its effectiveness wanes sooner.

“This is Category 4 and Category 5 weekly admission (numbers) into Hospital Sungai Buloh.

“That is why we want you to take whatever booster is on offer,” he tweeted along with a chart showing vaccination data of patients at the dedicated Covid-19 hospital.

Category 4 refers to Covid-19 patients with lung infections who need oxygen support.

Category 5 refers to Covid-19 patients with multiple organ failure who need ventilator support.

Covid-19 breakthrough cases refer to those who catch the disease despite being vaccinated.

Based on the chart shared by Khairy, Sinovac recipients made up an overwhelming majority of serious breakthrough infections at Hospital Sungai Buloh, rising to more than 100 in recent weeks.

Pfizer vaccine recipients who develop serious infections have increased slightly to above 20 in recent weeks while serious infections involving AstraZeneca recipients have remained mostly in the single digits.

Single-dose Cansino recipients account for 0.1 percent of the population.

Covid-19 cases are rising throughout the Klang Valley, the Health Ministry previously warned.

Booster rollout

As for the Covid-19 vaccine booster rollout, the government is presently offering Pfizer, Sinovac, and AstraZeneca vaccines as boosters.

Boosters are prioritised for frontliners, people aged 40 and above, people aged 18 and above who have comorbidities, workers and residents at long-term care facilities, pregnant women, and those who require it for overseas travel.

Appointments are being handed out through MySejahtera without the need for registration.

However, those eligible can also sign up to be on a waiting list beginning next Monday (Nov 22) at private healthcare facilities.

A list of the participating healthcare facilities will be available from ProtectHealth Corporation’s website when registration opens. They can also contact the facilities by phone or email.

ProtectHealth is a Health Ministry-owned entity that liaises the private sector’s involvement in the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.

Khairy previously disclosed that some 40 percent of booster appointments were suffering no-shows, warning that Covid-19 hospitalisations will rise if booster take-up rates do not pick up. - Mkini