KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — The government is only providing Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine for now to those who register for walk-in Covid-19 booster vaccination that will be open from November 22.
ProtectHealth Corporation — which is managing walk-in registrations for additional coronavirus shots in private health facilities under the government Covid-19 booster vaccination programme — said inoculation at its listed PPVs is free of charge.
“This approach will facilitate and encourage eligible individuals to receive doses earlier without having to wait longer. It will assist the government to ensure that vaccines are not wasted and usage is optimal,” ProtectHealth said in a statement.
People can register for their Covid-19 booster vaccination via telephone or email, by referring to the list of available PPVs on ProtectHealth’s website from November 22.
Individuals are advised to register at only one PPV to avoid double-booking. Those who successfully registered will be put on a waitlist and will be contacted by the PPV to replace any no-shows.
The walk-in, email or telephone registration is only applicable to individuals eligible for Covid-19 booster vaccination who have not yet received an appointment on MySejahtera:
- Frontline workers from the health, security and defence sectors;
- Individuals aged 40 years and older;
- Individuals aged 18 and older with comorbidities;
- Staff and residents at long-term care facilities;
- Pregnant women;
- Those travelling abroad.
People, including adolescents aged 12 to 17, who have not yet received their first or second Covid-19 vaccine dose, as well as individuals who missed their vaccination appointments, may walk in for their shots.
Regulators have approved a third Pfizer dose to be administered at least six months from the second dose for those who were initially vaccinated with the same vaccine. In a mix-and-match approach, individuals double vaccinated with Sinovac can receive an extra shot with Pfizer at least three months from their second Sinovac dose.
Malaysians who want a third Sinovac shot need to pay for vaccination in the private market. Pharmaniaga Berhad announced yesterday that it will begin supplying Sinovac booster vaccines at selected private hospitals and clinics soon. Most of the Sinovac vaccine supply procured by the government at 20.4 million doses has already gone into arms.
Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine is safe and effective. A real-world Chile study indicated that a third dose with Pfizer for those double vaccinated with Sinovac was more than 90 per cent effective at preventing Covid-19 infection, symptomatic disease, and hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admission.
