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KUALA LUMPUR: The target of 70% of Malaysia’s population to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in the first quarter of 2021, will focus on adults to allow the country to reach the threshold of herd immunity, said the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Khairy Jamaluddin.
He said that if the herd immunity threshold is reached, those who have not been vaccinated would be protected from Covid-19 infection.
“There will be some who will not get the vaccine because most of the Covid-19 vaccines developed have not been tested in children under the age of 12, so they will definitely not be vaccinated next year.
“So this will probably be the percentage of unvaccinated, we will focus on the adult group to achieve herd immunity,” he said at the conclusion of the debate on the Supply Bill 2021 in the Dewan Rakyat session today.
He said the government would not compromise health and safety and would obtain preliminary and interim safety data so that Malaysians do not turn into laboratory rats.
He said the government would examine the clinical data provided by companies that produce the vaccine, especially those that develop the Covid-19 vaccine for acquisition.
“According to current plans, we will be able to get the first vaccine in the first quarter of next year and soon Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will make an announcement,” he said.
In response to the interjection of Lim Lip Eng (PH-Kepong) about the country’s selection criteria for the acquisition of the Covid-19 vaccine, Khairy said that the ministry was in talks with companies from several countries, including the United States, Russia and China to determine the vaccine with the best portfolio for Malaysia.
Before acquiring the vaccine, he said, studies were conducted on whether the vaccines provided sterilizing immunity to protect against infection or simply to prevent severe spread of infection.
Khairy also reported that an independent Covid-19 vaccine evaluation committee has been established under the Special Committee on Guarantee of Access to the Covid-19 Vaccine, chaired by epidemiologist Prof Datuk Dr. Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud, composed of nine members. with various knowledge, such as virology, molecular immunology. and infectious diseases.
“We have taken this approach so that, when determining vaccines, we seek the advice of this independent expert, to ensure that decisions are not based on recommendations from any ministry,” said in response to Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad (PH-Kuala Selangor) , who asked who participated in the acquisition of the vaccine. – Called
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