Selangor will start getting its own supply of Covid-19 vaccines, after negotiations with the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) concluded on June 1.
Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said the first batch of vaccines under the Selangor Covid-19 Vaccination Programme (SCVP) is expected to arrive by the end of this month.
Among those being targeted for vaccination, Amirudin said, are senior citizens and those working in the services and manufacturing sectors.
He added that the state government is also working to secure vaccines for youths who will be turning 18 years old but have not been inoculated.
Amirudin also plans to put 13- to 17-year-olds under the SCVP.
He said a plan will be hashed out with the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) and Health Ministry to ensure it is in line with the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP).
This is after 27,402 children in this age group were infected by Covid-19 between Jan 25 and May 31.
Previously, the Selangor government allowed employers to pre-register to purchase Covid-19 vaccines via the Selangkah app.
However, de facto Covid-19 vaccination minister Khairy Jamaluddin then said the federal government had priority to receive vaccines that have been selected for the NIP.
However, Khairy said, state governments and companies can purchase World Health Organization (WHO)-approved vaccines on their own and register them with the NPRA.
Thus far, the Pfizer, Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines are being used in the NIP.
The other vaccines currently approved by the WHO are from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
Meanwhile, Amirudin assured the people that SCVP would not strain Selangor's public health system, as over 1,000 private clinics would be taking part in the programme.
He said vaccinations can be conducted at Vaccine Delivery Centres (PPVs), house to house, or business premise to business premise.
Amirudin added that RM200 million has been allocated for the SCVP. - Mkini
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