Johnson & Johnson vaccine more attractive with single dose - minister

 

Malaysia finds the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine more attractive as recipients need to take only one dose, said Health Minister Dr Adham Baba.

"The Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a one-dose method and thus makes it very attractive to use," he told reporters after receiving a donation of 2.7 million low dead-volume (LDV) syringes worth RM891,000 from Etiqa Family Takaful Bhd at his ministry in Putrajaya today.

On Wednesday, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation Khairy Jamaluddin announced that the government will sign a Covid-19 vaccine procurement contract with the US pharmaceutical company soon.

He said that so far, the clinical information on this vaccine has been positive and based on the recommendation of the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV), the cabinet decided to purchase the vaccine.

Adham and Khairy are the co-chairpersons of the JKJAV.

Commenting further on this vaccine, Adham said the government had not yet determined the number of doses to be obtained from Johnson & Johnson.

Meanwhile, he said all the syringes received today would be used in the first phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme which will start on Feb 26 involving about 500,000 frontline workers.

"This contribution can at least help the Malaysian government's efforts in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic in the country as well as being a good example to corporate companies that can participate in helping the government," he said.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Tuesday announced that Malaysia would receive its first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines this Sunday (Feb 21) while the rollout of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme would begin in phases from Feb 26.

Muhyiddin said he would receive the shot on the first day of the programme's implementation, together with the frontliners.

The first phase of the programme, which is until April, will involve the frontliners, followed by the second phase, which is from April until August, for the high-risk groups.

The third phase involves adults aged 18 and above and will be from May this year till February next year.

In Kuala Lumpur, Etiqa Family Takaful Bhd (EFTB) CEO Zafri Ab Halim said EFTB made the donation in view of the first phase being very important as it involved medical and non-medical frontliners.

“We hope very much that this contribution can help the country in fighting Covid-19 because it is a challenging time for all and this National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme gives hope to the rakyat that the war against the pandemic will end.

"The country is now at an important time in the fight against Covid-19 and we are ready to help, while we continue to play a role in breaking the chain of transmission of the virus," he said in a statement.

The LDV syringe is an important tool in the Covid-19 vaccination process that has been designed to reduce wastage of vaccine in the syringe after the injection is completed as well as ensuring the vaccine recipient receives the entire dose.

Zafri added that EFTB had also assisted the country in fighting Covid-19 by contributing to the purchase of ventilators for use by hospitals, as well as donating RM10 million for more than 68,000 units of Covid-19 test equipment to government hospitals.

- Bernama