Covid-19: Get booster shots for optimal protection, says King

 

KUALA LUMPUR: The rakyat should get their booster dose of a Covid-19 vaccine to ensure their immunity is optimised against new variants of the virus, says Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

In his Royal Address delivered during the First Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 14th Parliament here on Monday (Feb 28), he said Malaysia had achieved considerable success in its fight against Covid-19.

He said Malaysia was the best in Asia and ranked 13th out of 122 countries in the Nikkei Asia Covid-19 Recovery Index while the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme achieved vaccination coverage of up to 98% of its adult population.

"To ensure an optimum level of immunity against the new Covid-19 variant, I urge the people to obtain the booster dose that is being provided by the Government," he said.

Sultan Abdullah added that he supported the move by the Government to reduce the price of Covid-19 self-test kits to increase public health action against the virus, adding that this would enable the safe opening of economic and social sectors.

However, Al-Sultan Abdullah said he hoped for the country's transition into the endemic phase to be done carefully.

"While the nation at the moment is increasingly ready to enter the endemic phase, I hope that the transition will be made carefully," he said.

"We support the National Covid-19 Testing Strategy and the affirmative action taken by the Government to reduce the price of self-test kits as a means to strengthen public health action and community empowerment," he said.

Sultan Abdullah said that such an approach will enable the opening of economic and social sectors safely.

The Parliament sitting on Monday (Feb 28) is reserved for the Royal Address by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The Dewan Rakyat meeting will run for 16 days until March 24 while the Dewan Negara meeting, which will be opened simultaneously with the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Feb 28), will last for nine days beginning March 21. - Star