The Malaysian Insight

SINOVAC Covid-19 vaccine recipients who have completed the three-month period following their jab can now get the booster shot, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin says.

“They will be given booster doses by the heterologous “mix-and-match” approach with Comirnaty vaccines,” Khairy said during a press conference today.

He said that the boosters would be given to those above 60 first.

Khairy said the booster doses would be given off-label and the data for the recipients would used for the Real-World Evaluation of Covid-19 Vaccination (RECoVaM) and serious after-vaccination effects (SafeCovac) studies.

“The booster doses will be given free and on a voluntary process under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK),” said Khairy.

He said the objective of the booster doses is to optimise the protection period for vaccine recipients.

“The Sinovac recipients (only those who have completed the three-month period post-jab) can obtain their booster doses starting tomorrow throughout the country.

“This will be done by the private medical practitioners under ProtectHealth Corporation Sdn Bhd.

“Qualifying individuals will be notified by the MySejahtera application or through SMS message,” Khairy said.

The minister added that, as of October 19, 47,728 individuals have already received Covid-19 booster shots.

He said that the booster shot programme, which began on October 13, had begun administering booster doses to frontliners, those aged above 60 and individuals with comorbidities. – October 21, 2021.