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PUTRAJAYA (Bernama): Malaysia will receive a batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine one week before the first phase of the national Covid-19 immunization plan begins on February 26, says Datuk Seri Dr. Adham Baba.
The Health Minister said it was necessary to receive a batch of the vaccine earlier to allow the 7,000 people responsible for providing the vaccine to vaccinate themselves.
“We need to prioritize those who are assigned to provide the vaccine and 7,000 vaccinators have been chosen for the first vaccines. Therefore, it is expected that (the vaccine) will be received a week before February 26,” he said when he met at his office here. on Friday (February 5).
On January 11, the agreement for the delivery of the first phase of the Covid-19 Pfizer-BioNTech BNT1262b vaccine to the entire country was signed between the Government of Malaysia, through the Ministry of Health, with Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
The agreement with Pfizer (Malaysia) involves the purchase of 12,799,800 doses of the vaccine to be supplied from the end of February, covering 20 percent of the Malaysian population, with two doses per person.
Dr Adham said the vaccine will be received in phases, with 148,000 doses for the first phase.
Additionally, Dr. Adham said the ministry has identified 55 vaccine storage locations across the country equipped with ultra-low temperature freezers (ULTFs), as the vaccine must be kept at minus 70 degrees Celsius.
He added that the ministry is cooperating with Tenaga Nasional Bhd to ensure that there are no interruptions in the electricity supply at the vaccine storage sites.
Regarding the 600 vaccination centers that will be open across the country, Dr. Adham said that seven staff members, including a doctor and a nurse, will be stationed at each vaccination center.
“We estimate to provide 210 vaccines in each place a day and if all goes well … 120,000 daily injections can be made in the 66 vaccination centers,” he said.
He added that the ministry will ensure that vaccination centers are located in strategic areas and have adequate equipment capable of storing the vaccine well.
“Vaccination centers need to be organized and orderly. The vaccination process will be done in batches because we don’t want people to form long lines.
“In addition, we must provide a 30-minute rest period for those who take the vaccine because we do not want side effects after the injection,” he said.
On Wednesday (February 3), Dr. Adham said that the ministry was prepared to implement the first phase of the national Covid-19 immunization plan as soon as the supply of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrives in Malaysia on February 26.
According to him, the first training session for the delivery of the vaccine to the Belaga health clinic in Sarawak on January 29 and to the Bintulu Hospital on January 30 was carried out successfully without any problems.
The initial training was to ensure that the vaccine supply from Pfizer’s Puurs, Belgium facility, which requires ultra-cold containers, reaches Malaysia without a problem, he said.- Bernama
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