PETALING JAYA: The country’s vaccination rates must increase before a booster dose can be considered, says Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (pic).
The Health director-general said this was because the administration of a booster shot to those who have been vaccinated would not help to curb the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19.
”However, what is capable of controlling the spread of the Delta variant is to vaccinate those who have not yet been inoculated against Covid-19,” he said in a Facebook post Thursday (Aug 26).
”We must first increase our vaccination coverage in the country before thinking about a booster dose.
”No one is safe until everyone is safe,” he added.
During the Selangor state assembly on Wednesday (Aug 25), it was reported that state Public Health, Unity, Women and Family Development Committee chairman Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud said the Selangor government is making preparations to provide a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine under its Selangor Vaccine Programme (Selvax).
She said the preparations included providing the vaccine for those aged 18 and below, which is subject to approval by the Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV).
On Wednesday, the JKJAV said that 423,380 vaccine doses were administered bringing the cumulative number of Covid-19 doses administered in Malaysia to 32,635,907.
It also said 59.1% or 13,842,928 adults have received two doses of a vaccine while 80.3% or 18,792,979 adults have received their first dose.
Source: The Star
