KJ: Updated Covid-19 vaccine to be offered to high-risk groups

PUTRAJAYA: Updated vaccines which can fight the newer Covid-19 variants will soon be available to high-risk groups.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin (pic) said the jab would not, however, be offered to those outside the high-risk category as the people might be experiencing "vaccine fatigue".

"I will carry out the procurement for the government to buy versions of vaccines that can fight new variants.

"We won't give it to everyone, we will give it to the high-risk groups as I'm aware of the people's views and feelings, maybe there is vaccine fatigue for most people," he said during the Malaysia Book of Records awards ceremony and launch of the Record Breaking Covid-19 Vaccination: Public-Private Partnership report here on Tuesday (Sept 13).

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Khairy added that the Covid-19 situation in Malaysia was currently under control and there was no need for more large-scale vaccination campaigns.

He also noted that the take-up rate for the second booster offered by the Health Ministry had not been high.

"The demand is not that high but those who are high risk (are) encouraged to take the jab," he said.

On the government's record-breaking Covid-19 vaccination drive, Khairy noted that while its success was to be relished, what was more important were the lessons learned.

He said the institutional memory from the vaccination programme, which was among the top 10 in the world, would help guide the country out of the next pandemic.

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"Many experts informed us that this Covid-19 pandemic is not the last pandemic.

"Maybe there will be new viruses in the coming years.

"We are proud of the success of our vaccination programme but what's important is we turn it into institutional memory and if there is another pandemic in the future, we have all the tools in place to do the same thing," he said.

Khairy added that there was no such manual when Covid-19 hit the country and the ministry had to start from the ground up.

"The last time, we didn't have a manual and we did all of this for the first time ever.

"We should all be proud of what we have achieved," he said.

Khairy also said that while the ministry had the know-how for getting out of the pandemic, the manual has to be constantly updated in terms of crisis preparedness.

"It is crucial to update (this aspect) ... for all involved," he said.