NST: Only 2.5 per cent of people took COVID-19 2nd booster
KUALA LUMPUR: Only over two per cent of the country's population has taken the second booster shot for Covid-19.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa told Parliament that 815,040 people, or 2.5 per cent of the total population, have taken the second booster shot as of Feb 1.
"There are 27,544,563 people who have completed their primary vaccinations, while about half the population or 16,319,486 people have taken the first booster shot.
"The adult population aged 18 and above totalling of 23,140,383 or 98.4 per cent completed the primary dose, while 16,253,130 or 69.1 per cent had received the first booster dose while 814,561 or 3.5 per cent had received the second booster dose," she said in a written reply to Datuk Dr Alias Razak (PN-Kuala Nerus).
She said for adolescents aged 12 to 18, there were a total of 2,858,927 or 91.9 per cent of this segment who completed the primary dose, while 60,414 or 1.9 per cent had received the first booster dose.
For children aged five to 12, a total of 1,545,253 or 43.5 per cent of them have completed their primary vaccination, she said.
In order to further encourage Malaysians to take Covid-19 booster shots, Zaliha said those interested may book their appointments through MySejahtera application, while vaccination centres may offer walk-in booster vaccinations for high risk groups or individuals.
She said clinics and hospitals that operated as vaccination centres could offer booster shots to patients seeking treatment for other illnesses.
She said vaccination centres could also offer the vaccines without waiting to fulfil the required quota.
"For example, there is no need to wait for there to be six vaccine recipients to open a vial of the Comirnaty type of vaccine," she said.
Social media and mainstream media will also be utilised for booster shots-related messages, she said.
"The government is also reporting Adverse Effects Following Immunisation (AEFI) periodically on the website of the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Division (NPRA) to provide information on AEFI events," she added.
