Selected high-risk groups will lose full vaccination privileges if they do not take a booster shot by the end of this month, as Malaysia attempts to “blunt” the impact of an ongoing Omicron wave.
The Covid-19 variant is expected to exponentially increase the daily caseload in the coming weeks.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Monday (Feb 7) that senior citizens – those above 60 years old – who have taken only two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine will lose their fully vaccinated status if they do not take a booster shot by March 1.
The same applies to all Malaysians who have taken two doses of the China-made Sinovac vaccine, which the ministry said is less effective than other vaccines.
Some 3.5 million Sinovac recipients have yet to take their booster shots, while 32 per cent of senior citizens – more than one million of them – have not taken their booster shots.
Malaysia allows for walk-ins at its vaccination centres and will also start offering Sinovac boosters to those who do not want to take other vaccines.
Many social sector privileges – such as dining in eateries and domestic tourism – are reserved for those with the fully vaccinated status.
