A dose of the Pfizer-BioTech Covid-19 vaccine is pictured at the UiTM Hospital in Sungai Buloh March 2, 2021. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has announced that Malaysia will be procuring the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to inoculate children aged five to 12 years old.
“With FDA panel recommending Pfizer jab for five to 12-year-olds, Malaysia will go forward with our procurement of Pfizer for kids. We will also look at other options like Sinovac,” he said on Twitter today, referring to the US Food and Drug Administration.
The Rembau MP added that as of yesterday, 82.4 per cent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 in Malaysia had received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health’s CovidNow website show that 62 per cent of the same age group has been fully vaccinated.
On October 26, a panel of independent advisers recommended to the US FDA that the agency should issue emergency authorisation for the use of Pfizer-BioNtech vaccines in children aged five to 11 years old.
US-based news organisation National Public Radio (NPR) reported that 17 out of 18 panelists voted in favour of the move.
While the FDA is yet to make a final decision on the matter, it is reportedly expected to do so in the next few days.