27 million people to be vaccinated by early 2022, says PM

 

The National Immunisation Programme is on track, the prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, said today. (AP pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Almost 27 million people, or over 80% of Malaysia’s population, are expected to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by the first quarter of next year, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

He said RM3 billion had been allocated for the National Immunisation Programme, which he said was on track. The first batch of vaccines is expected to be received by the end of February, with the first groups to be vaccinated by early March.

“The guidelines and methods on receiving the vaccine will be announced soon,” he said. A special committee has been set up to ensure access to vaccines, and the government would ensure transparency in the procurement of vaccines and give utmost priority to the National Immunisation Programme.

He said the National Council for Malaysian Islamic Affairs has decreed that the Covid-19 vaccine is allowed and a necessity for specific groups.

Age and health conditions of patients to be considered

Health minister Dr Adham Baba said the vaccination programme would take into account the age and health conditions of people to be immunised.

He said the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency was trying to obtain detailed information about reports of 23 deaths in Norway of people who had received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The agency was also getting information from vaccine manufacturer Pfizer, as well as keeping track of actions by other international regulatory bodies such as the European Medicines Agency.

A preliminary report released by the European agency showed that those who died were aged 80 and above and had chronic medical conditions.

“An autopsy showed the (vaccine) recipients had fever, nausea and diarrhoea which were common adverse effects after receiving the vaccine,” he said in a statement.

According to phase three of a clinical trial of the vaccine involving 44,000 volunteers aged 75 years and above, the vaccine had been shown to have 95% effectiveness in preventing symptomatic Covid-19 infections when given two complete doses within 21 days.

He added that the clinical trial also showed that adverse effects are within an acceptable limit and were temporary in nature. - FMT