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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is in the final stage of talks with COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers and hopes to obtain and put into use a vaccine by the first quarter of next year, authorities said on Monday (November 16).
Malaysia is in talks with 10 COVID-19 vaccine producers that are in phase 3 trials, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Monday. Eight of those discussions were conducted through the government and two through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX), it said.
Some of the discussions are in their final stages and an official announcement will be made when things are finalized, Khairy said.
“The discussion covers aspects of cooperation in various stages of vaccine development such as R&D, exchange of scientists, development of filling and finishing (technology transfer, logistics, cold chain), including the purchase of vaccines (finished products) such as guarantee of access to the supply of vaccines for the country, “said Khairy.
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There are 11 COVID-19 vaccine candidates in the third phase of clinical trials as of November 13, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Through Malaysia’s participation in COVAX, the country will be able to access enough COVID-19 vaccine for 10 percent of its population, Khairy said. The government is working to get another 60 percent to meet the national target for herd immunity, he added.
The government is also working to gain access to vaccines as early as the first or second quarter of next year, depending on approvals from the National Drug Regulatory Agency (NPRA), Khairy said.
Malaysia reported 1,103 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, bringing its total number of infections to 48,520.
The Ministry of Health also recorded four new deaths, bringing the total number of deaths from COVID-19 to 313.
Malaysia’s Special Committee on Access to the Supply of COVID-19 Vaccines (JKJAV) has said it will prioritize immunizations in three groups. The first group will include front-line people such as employees of the Ministry of Health, the police, the Malaysian Armed Forces and the Department of Immigration.
The second group is made up of high-risk people, such as those with comorbid diseases and the elderly, while the third includes another adult population.
Details on the groups are being worked out, and announcements are expected to be made during the first quarter of next year.
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MALAYSIA COVID-19 RECOVERY RATE AT 73%
Separately, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba also said on Monday that Malaysia is aiming to roll out COVID-19 vaccines by the first quarter of next year.
“As we have been informed, the vaccine produced by Pfizer and BioNTech has been claimed to be 90 percent effective. This is a good and healthy development,” said Dr. Adham.
He added that Malaysia has confidence in companies such as the Gamaleya Research Institute, whose vaccines are in their third phase of clinical trials to provide the country with vaccines, but discussions remain inconclusive about China’s vaccines.
“Procurement of COVID-19 vaccines for our country will depend on careful considerations regarding the quality, safety, implications and registration of these vaccines by producing countries,” he said during a radio show on Monday.
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He also said that the chances of reinfection in patients who have recovered from COVID-19 are low compared to those who have never been infected, Dr. Adham said.
Since then, the recovery rate has risen to 73 percent, up from 65 percent two weeks ago, showing that the treatment protocols and regimen implemented in hospitals and health centers in Malaysia are in line with public health safety, he added.
The increase in COVID-19 cases in some states, federal territories and Klang Valley is related to groups of workplaces and construction sites where infectivity rates are high, due to human trafficking and lack of compliance with procedures standard operating.
“The increase in cases in Kuala Lumpur shows that we have to tighten actions, compliance, enforcement and monitoring. We have to continue with preventive and control measures, adhere to the SOP and adapt to the new regulations,” said Dr. Adham.
“This is everyone’s responsibility. With regard to workplace groups, it is very important that employers and workers are held accountable. Employers have a vital role in ensuring that their staff or workers are always protected.”
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