KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 — The Health Ministry (MOH) is considering using the Sinovac and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose, said its minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
He said the matter was being discussed by the Drug Control Authority (DCA) in a meeting chaired by Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
“Among the agenda of this meeting is to consider the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccine as a booster dose and when the DCA made their decision, I will announce our policy,” he said when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2022 at the policy level in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said this in response to a question from Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen (PH-Bandar Kuching) who wanted to know whether the government plans to allow the Sinovac vaccine to be given as a booster dose especially for those who received the same type of vaccine.
To expedite the administration of booster doses in the country, Khairy said MOH would reopen several vaccination centres besides using the services of public and private health facilities.
Sources: BERNAMA