File picture shows Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali (seated right) giving a vaccine injection to Che Wan Dhabit Hazim, 11 accompanied by his mother, Mazlin Zainal Abidin at the National Children’s Covid-19 Immunisation program(PICKids) at Sekolah Kebangsaan Wira, Kuantan, February 25, 2022. — Bernama pic
BAGAN SERAI, March 5 — The administration of Sinovac vaccine to children aged five to 11 will be decided at the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force for Children (CITF-C) committee meeting tonight.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said he would chair the meeting which would involve experts in the Technical Working Committee (TWG) on the matter.
“As we all know, Pfizer was granted conditional approval to be used on children on Jan 6 and we have administered nearly a million doses of the vaccine (as first dose) through the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids).
“Basically, Sinovac is only given to those who are allergic to Pfizer but we will make the final decision tonight,” he told reporters at Bukit Merah Laketown Resort, near here today.
Last Thursday, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that CoronaVac Suspension for Injection Covid-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated produced by Sinovac Life Sciences Co Ltd, China and Pharmaniaga Lifescience Sdn Bhd, Malaysia has been approved for children aged five to 11.
He said the conditional registration approval was agreed by the Drug Control Authority (DCA) in its 370th meeting. — Bernama